Valley Stream water main break latest in series of break failures across Long Island
A spokesperson for Liberty Water tells News 12 the break was caused by fluctuating temperatures, which can place added stress on aging water pipes.
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It’s a new year, but another water main break on Long Island. This time, the break happened in Valley Stream, leaving more than 20 Liberty Water customers without service. Crews spent all of Wednesday working to replace damaged pipes.
Natalie Laguer woke up around 8 a.m. Wednesday to no running water in her home.
“I was a little concerned, so my husband called the water company and they mentioned there is a main break in the waterline,” Laguer said.
Construction crews were dispatched to the intersection of Eastwood Lane and Forest Road, where they worked day and night to repair the damaged water main.
“There was a 12-foot wide, 6-foot deep hole that water was flowing into and they were pumping it out,” said Valley Stream resident Jonathon Ward.
The Valley Stream break is the latest in a growing list of water main failures across Long Island. Similar breaks were reported in Bellmore, Baldwin, Oceanside and Merrick this past December. Another water main break was also reported Wednesday in Garden City.
“The infrastructure gets old and it has to get attended, too. Things have to be fixed or replaced. We're talking about sandy soil. We're talking about Long Island,” Ward said.
For neighbors, the disruption meant finding temporary solutions to get through the day without running water.
“We're just using jugs of water we bought from the grocery store and we are using that to cook and shower and everything,” Laguer said.
A spokesperson for Liberty Water tells News 12 the break was caused by fluctuating temperatures, which can place added stress on aging water pipes.
