York Fixes Water Main Break Off Genesee Street

YORK – The Town Highway and Water Department fixed a water main break on Piffard Circle that leaked for several hours.

According to George Warden, Highway and Water Superintendent for the Town of York, the first calls reporting a water main break came in at about 12:30 a.m.

“It was a 6-inch main with a 1-inch hole in it,” said Warden. “We did have some difficulties with it because before we dig, we call Dig Safe NY, just like every other town with underground utilities, and RG&E comes out to mark our gas lines and utilities. They had difficulty getting a person there.”

Warden said that the RG&E staffer arrived at the site at about 5:30 a.m. Service was interrupted for four or five houses for a few hours while York authorities fixed the leak.

“We were able to isolate the leak and used a repair clamp, a steel gasket that is a permanent fix,” said Warden. “From there, it takes a little time for us to flush the main and make sure that nothing got in there. […] It’s correct that not many people were affected but it was right around the time that people are getting up and taking a shower and going to work.”

All told, Warden said that the operation went well. From here, his crew will have to make some repairs to a nearby driveway and the road.

“As far as water leaks go, this is probably one of the easiest we’ve had,” said Warden. “From here we have some restoration work to do. We’re going to lay some blacktop on a driveway and make some repairs to the road.”