Water main breaks in Rutland
October 12,2012
Albert J. Marro / Staff Photo
Rutland City Department of Public Works employee Joe Johnston uses a hydraulic jack-hammer to break-up a small portion of Center Street in front of Kong Chow Fusion Restaurant. A break in a six-inch, 1881 pipe developed shortly after 1 p.m. Friday.
A water main has broken on Center Street this afternoon in downtown Rutland and the street has been closed down as crews work to repair the damage.
Center Street is closed at Wales Street at one end and Merchants Row at the other.
Water is seeping out of the pavement in the center of the street in front of Kong Chow Fusion.
Some businesses on Center Street are without water.
Alan Shelvey, city engineer, said it looked like a water main break, typical with the city's more than 100-year-old water system comprised of 110 miles of water pipes, some iron.
Shelvey said the city is making progress in replacing some of the oldest water lines, like the most recent project on Woodstock Avenue that replaced a circa 1858-water pipe.
The main concern when small breaks happen, according to Shelvey, is basement flooding.
