New York

Water Boil Continues in Danbury Two Days After Water Main Break

Forty-eight hours after a water main break left tens of thousands of people in Danbury without a drop, there was finally a break Wednesday.

“Normally the repair time is five to six hours, not two days,” Mayor Mark Boughton said.

Boughton estimated they lost several million gallons of water from the system.

“This was rare in a sense that it was a style that we've never seen in a break before and it was a one-of-a-kind piece so you can’t order from your local Home Depot or something like that,” Boughton said.

A valve specially flown in from company in Buffalo, New York was installed in the Tamarack Street water main Wednesday morning, pressurizing the system and returning water to residents. The city is still under a boil advisory.

“Rarely are they 16-inch water main breaks that affect the hospital and the schools and regular travel for the city Danbury,” Lorinda Arconti said.

Arconti is one of dozens who lined up for drinking water at the Danbury Fire Department. She’s lost track of her life without water.

“Just brushing teeth, to rinsing off vegetables, to getting water going for dinner,” Arconti said.

Campuses like Broadview Middle School, Henry Abbott Technical High School were back in class after closing Tuesday, drinking bottled water only. Students at Western Connecticut University were warned to not drink or even use the water to wash their hands, as Danbury Hospital and nursing homes remained under a fire watch early this afternoon.

“We have people stationed right at the facilities just to make sure if there's a problem we have somebody there immediately,” Danbury Fire Chief T.J. Wiedl said.

Wiedl said the water main relief has been round the clock. Firefighters kept trucks outside certain facilities in case water sprinklers were needed in a fire emergency.

“I’m glad we're getting near the end this is been a lot of sleepless time and most the crews went without sleep throughout the night,” Wiedl said.

Boughton said the earliest that boil advisory could be lifted is early Thursday afternoon.

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