660 left waterless in Bangor Boil order issued after main repaired

BANGOR – Roughly 600 Bangor Water District customers spent the better part of Thursday without water when a 12-inch water line ruptured on Ohio Street near the Capehart neighborhood.

Officials from the water district were notified around 8 a.m. of a leak near the intersection of Ohio Street and Blue Hill West, according to Wayne Rogalski, the water district’s general manager. After finding the leak, Rogalski said crews punched through the asphalt and found a circular break in the line.

The cause of the break was assumed to be frost, Rogalski said.

“Typically, when it gets really cold, the frost exerts tremendous force on the pipes,” Rogalski said. “We see about 20 main breaks a year.”

Crews had the pipe repaired by 2 p.m. After flushing the system, crews spent the afternoon restoring pressure to the system, Rogalski said. Water service was completely restored by 3:30 p.m., he said.

Traffic was shut down to one lane while crews worked on the main, Rogalski said. The water leak caused some ice along Ohio Street, but nothing extensive, Rogalski said.

Because of the possibility of unsafe water, a boil-water order was issued for customers in the Old Capehart area, Sunny Hollow, Yankee Drive, Cedar Falls Trailer Park, Shepherd Drive area, the Bangor section of Pushaw Road, Cherry Lane, Birchwood Avenue, and Ohio Street north and east of Yankee Drive.

Customers are asked to boil water for five minutes for any activity that involves consumption of water, including drinking, making ice cubes, washing foods or brushing teeth.

The order is a precautionary measure that will remain in effect until the water can be tested for bacteria.

Questions should be directed to the Bangor Water District at 946-4516 or the State of Maine Drinking Water Program at 287-2070 during business hours.