Water service has been restored to about 60 properties in Philadelphia’s Mayfair neighborhood after an 8-inch water main break sent water rushing down Elbridge Street Friday morning.
The break was reported around 7 a.m. and caused significant flooding along the block. Cellphone video showed water gushing down the street.
The Philadelphia Water Department said crews located a leak in the main, shut it down and began making repairs.
For residents, the outage disrupted everyday routines. People were unable to wash their hands, flush their toilets or clean the dishes.
“It’s inconvenient because, you know, no water, shower,” Mayfair homeowner Antonio Montanaro said.
Montanaro said he had to go to his daughter’s house to shower and get ready for work while service was interrupted.
The break is raising concerns among neighbors about the condition of the city’s aging water infrastructure. Residents said this was not the first time a water main had broken on Elbridge Street. They recalled another break on the block about 10 years ago.
“You got pipes that are hundreds of years old or whatever it is, you know, they break,” Montanaro said. “There’s nothing they can do about it. Just come out here and fix it.”
Madeline Fernandez, a home aide who works for an elderly client in Mayfair, said the outage created difficulties for residents who rely on running water.
“It’s horrible,” Fernandez said. “So a lot of people in the block, it’s inconvenient for them. These main pipes are old. They need to get fixed.”
The Philadelphia Water Department said water service was restored around 2 p.m., about seven hours after the leak was reported.
Although service is back, repairs to the street are still needed. Crews had to excavate the roadway to reach the broken pipe, leaving a large hole in the street.