Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Water Main Break Beneath Brooklyn Bridge Leaves Hundreds Without Water

By Irene Plagianos | August 31, 2016 4:36pm | Updated on August 31, 2016 8:37pm
 Crews worked to repair the water main underneath the Manhattan on-ramp to the Brooklyn bridge after it broke on August 31, cutting off water to neighboring buildings and flooding Frankfort Street between Pearl and Gold streets.
Crews worked to repair the water main underneath the Manhattan on-ramp to the Brooklyn bridge after it broke on August 31, cutting off water to neighboring buildings and flooding Frankfort Street between Pearl and Gold streets.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo

LOWER MANHATTAN — A water main broke beneath the Manhattan entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday afternoon — sparking massive traffic delays, closing down the street and cutting off water to hundreds of locals overnight, according to officials and witnesses.

The water main, located beneath the pillars to the onramp for the bridge at Frankfort Street and Pearl Street, burst at about 1:15 p.m., sending water surging along the street, which abuts Police Headquarters and leads to City Hall, police said.

The ramp was closed for approximately a half hour as officials shut down the water main, but was reopened.

Frankfort Street between Pearl and Gold streets remained closed overnight as crews worked to pump water off the block, but had reopened by Thursday morning.

Officials said the 20-inch water main was damaged during rehabilitation work to the Brooklyn Bridge. Crews had torn up the southeast lane of Frankfort Street in the days leading up to the break.

Department of Environmental Protection officials said that only 100 Gold Street, home to city agencies including the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, was left without water as the main was under repair.

But tenants of the Southbridge Towers high-rise at 333 Pearl Street were also left without water Wednesday into Thursday morning, as hundreds of residents lugged home water from area supermarkets and drugstores to drink, cook and bathe in. 

The water was restored by 7:30 a.m. Thursday.