Waterbury Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. announced a Friday afternoon news conference after a transmission main break left more than 15,000 residents and businesses without water service in the city’s second water main break of the week, according to the mayor’s office. Water Superintendent Ramon Esponda joined city officials for the 3:30 p.m. briefing on Tompkins Street to address the expanding outages and a boil water advisory.
Infrastructure Failure Expands Outages Across Neighborhoods
Crews from the Water Department and Dayton Construction initially repaired a damaged section of the transmission main and began reintroducing water into the system at approximately 1:30 a.m. Friday, city officials said. Shortly after, a second section of the main located about 10 feet away developed a break. Responders shut down valves on Watertown Avenue to halt the flow and began excavating the site to evaluate the damage, according to the mayor’s office. Because the newly damaged section was not yet fully exposed, officials could not confirm whether replacement parts on site were compatible or if additional materials were required.
The subsequent failure forced an expansion of the outage zone. According to a city news release, residents and businesses in the Town Plot and Country Club neighborhoods should expect to lose water as storage tanks are depleted. The city utilized its Reserve 911 system to broadcast “Alert Waterbury” emergency notifications to impacted residents.
Bottled Water Distribution and Emergency Resources
City officials established a bottled water distribution site at the Municipal Stadium North Parking Lot, located at 1200 Watertown Ave., according to the mayor’s office. Distribution hours were scheduled for Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Officials advised residents to bring clean buckets or containers to collect water for non-drinking needs such as flushing toilets. Additionally, the Greater Waterbury YMCA opened shower facilities for impacted residents on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mayor Pernerewski said.
Boil Water Advisory and Food Safety Protocols
A boil water advisory remained in effect for all previously and newly impacted areas. According to city officials, residents must boil water used for drinking, cooking, food preparation, and brushing teeth for a full minute to kill harmful bacteria until the Water Department lifts the advisory. Bathing is restricted to individuals without open wounds, while immunocompromised residents and infants should use baby wipes or clean washcloths with bottled, boiled, or cooled water. Food service establishments within the affected areas were ordered to temporarily cease operations unless utilizing an approved alternate water source cleared by the Waterbury Health Department.
Pro Tip: Always use bottled water exclusively for mixing baby formula during an active boil water advisory to ensure infant safety.
Precedent and Prior Municipal Repair Costs
Waterbury has seen this before. In February, an 8-inch water main break occurred on State Street on a Tuesday night and was repaired by the following morning, according to city officials. A more severe incident occurred in December, when half of the city lost running water for almost a week following a main break at the intersection of Thomaston Avenue and Manville Street. That December incident forced temporary school and business closures and triggered a boil water advisory, resulting in $2.5 million in repair costs, which included $230,000 for bottled water and over $146,000 in police overtime, city data showed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must I boil tap water during the advisory?
City officials advise boiling all tap water used for drinking, cooking, food preparation, or brushing teeth for a full minute until the Water Department officially lifts the advisory.
Where can I pick up free bottled water in Waterbury?
According to the mayor’s office, bottled water is available at the Municipal Stadium North Parking Lot at 1200 Watertown Ave.
Are local restaurants allowed to stay open during the water main break?
Restaurants in affected areas must temporarily close unless they operate with an approved alternate water source reviewed and cleared by the Waterbury Health Department.
Where can residents take showers during the outage?
The Greater Waterbury YMCA provides shower access during designated weekend hours for residents experiencing service disruptions.