Water main break in Hamilton neighbourhood leads to closures

Repairs were underway at Fennell Avenue East and High Street in Hamilton following another water main break in that neighbourhood.

The closure wreaked havoc for drivers and residents in the area.

Clean-up efforts were underway as early as 5 a.m. on Sunday according to crews on the scene. The watermain broke around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday.

READ MORE: Clean-up efforts underway after 2 water main breaks in Hamilton

Bill Garbutt, a local resident, got a call from his wife saying the street had flooded, and when he got home he could see his street underwater.

Garbutt says the water is no longer in his building but says a main inconvenience is that he can’t do the dishes, laundry or shower unless they buy water but says nobody from the city has reached out to notify residents in the area.

According to crew on scene, several factors could cause a water main break, including a sudden change in temperature the age of the pipe and pressure changes.

Other residents of the area have also said they have been affected by the road closure.

Bus routes have been re-routed creating an inconvenience to bus users and people who use the street regularly.

READ MORE: Hamilton Water crews work to repair water main break near Queenston Traffic Circle

Residents in the area of Burgess Avenue reported first hearing the gush of water outside around 3 a.m.

Katrina Canning, a resident of the area, was disappointed by the city’s response to the issue.

“The only thing is it took them forever to get here in the morning,” Canning said.

“By the time they got here it was probably around 7:30/8 o’clock.”

Aging pipes are definitely an issue in the city and some watermains in the lower city are roughly 140-years-old.

CHCH reached out to the city for comment but didn’t hear back.