NORTHAMPTON — A crack in a water main on North King Street Monday morning left more than 200 customers without water service for several hours.
“The repair went quicker than we would have anticipated,” Department of Public Works Director Donna LaScaleiasaid.
The main cracked on a section of North King Street in front of Rockridge Retirement Community, and within sight of the Massachusetts State Police barracks.
“It cracked a little bit on one side, (a) little bit on the other,” said Daniel Russell, a DPW worker.
He said the crack may have been caused by the ground moving as it thawed.
The crack was detected around 6:30 a.m., when water was observed turning to ice in the area above the cracked main. Excavation efforts began around 8 a.m., and the valve on 400 North King St. was switched off between 8:30 and 9 a.m. to allow the repairs to take place.
The DPW dug down to the cracked main and repaired it with a metal wrap. The repair work was finished around 12:40 p.m., and the State Police barracks reported that water had been restored to its building at 1:36 p.m. Officials originally predicted the water would remain off until 5 p.m.
LaScaleia said that improved weather helped with the repair.
“We’re fortunate that we have a break in the weather here,” she said.
She also said that cracked mains are trouble for both the water supply and the infrastructure, and thanked the DPW workers for their efforts.
“They do a heck of a job,” she said.
Russell said that an effort would be made to have the area above the main re-filled with flowable fill, which has the advantage of allowing the DPW to be able to readily dig through it, should additional issues arise. It will be blacktopped at a later date.