What to Know
- Workers on Tuesday lowered down a replacement main to the ground, nearly 24 hours after a water main break flooded the Upper West Side
- Meanwhile, many residents in the area were still without water in their homes and several buildings did not have elevator services
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza said that the department is investigating the exact cause of the rupture
Nearly 24 hours after a water main break flooded Upper West Side streets and disrupted commutes, workers on Tuesday lowered down a replacement main to the ground — but the impacted streets will still be shut down for several days.
Crews were on the scene on Broadway between 63rd Street in the early morning, working on replacing the 3-foot diameter main that leaked more than 500,000 gallons of water rushed into the subway system and turned the streets into a small pond on Monday.
On Tuesday, all lanes remain closed on Broadway, south bound between West 65 Street and West 62 Street, and on Columbus Avenue south bound from West 65 Street to West 62 Street, according to the NYPD.
Central Park West in both directions is also closed from West 65 Street to Columbus Street.
Meanwhile, some residents in the area were still without water in their homes and several buildings did not have elevator services.
Local
"We've been going to the Y to shower the children," Upper West Side resident Susan Undar Mero tells NBC New York. "We can't do laundry," her child interjected.
"We're going to be all OK. It's just a little inconvenience," Mero continued.
NYC Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza said at a news conference Monday that the department is investigating the exact cause of the rupture.
One of the reasons officials are looking into is the drastic drop in temperatures from Sunday's mid 60s into the 40s on Monday.
"We're still getting the pipe exposed to look at it. Any time there's temperature fluctuations, that's one of the things we do look at but we don't know at this point," Sapienza said.
Aerial images from Chopper 4 show extensive flooding on the streets with a shallow body of moving water around parked cars. Authorities said at a later news briefing that people who live in nearby buildings may see discolored water, saying that one should let the water run and clear. The city's DEP said workers will be out taking water samples.
The water main rupture ended with 55,000 subway riders rerouted while MTA crews pumped water from stations and inspected 12 switches and 72 signals as crews worked to dry out waterlogged components by hand.
It wasn't immediately clear when Broadway southbound will be open as crews continue to make repairs to the streets. Parts of Columbus and other streets may be closed periodically as well.
In a statement to News 4 New York, Lincoln Center said that despite street conditions, the main Lincoln Center campus remains open to visitors and classes at Julliard School will continue as scheduled. However, certain locations remain closed.
"This morning, a water main break occurred near the Lincoln Center campus. The main campus remains open to visitors and classes at The Juilliard School will proceed as scheduled. The David Rubenstein Atrium, TKTS Discount Booth, and the David H. Koch Theater remain closed due to their proximity to the water main. While the physical box office and call center at the David H. Koch Theater are closed, online ticket sales and event information are still available," the statement said.
