Syracuse Public Works employees work to fix a water main that broke after being struck by an outside utility early this morning. The 100 East block of Pickwick Drive will be closed for most of the day as the crew makes the repairs.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — A water main break has closed the 100 East block of Pickwick Drive, Syracuse. The break occurred at approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 21, flooding the immediate area. Town Manager David Wilkinson, in an email, stated an outside utility struck the large water main, causing the break.

Both the water main and other utility lines were properly marked at the time of the incident.

Mark Aurich, public works superintendent, said 1,000 gallon a minute pumps and the storm sewer were used to drain the water, most of it gone by 11 a.m. Members of the Syracuse Street, Water and Waste Water Departments are on scene working to fix the break and restore water to area residents.

Aurich said he was considering “the timing or necessity of issuing a boil water advisory” at the time he was interviewed.

He said the 100 East block of Pickwick Drive will be closed most of the day as the public works employees fix the main. Making the matter more complicated is how saturated the ground is. Water from the surrounding soil was flowing into the trench the men were working in.

“The town’s people should have no worries. The town has a good crew (working on it), Aurich said.