Melrose Deals With 2 Monday Water Main Breaks

MELROSE, MA — The city’s Department of Public Works had its proverbial hands full with two water main breaks that took place simultaneously Monday night.

The DPW responded to the scenes at West Wyoming Avenue and Swains Pond Avenue after the incidents occurred at approximately 5 p.m. Upon receiving multiple calls from residents, the police department released a statement saying the DPW was tending to the situation and asked community owners not to reach out to the department about it unless there is an emergency.

“We are aware of the two water main breaks in the areas of West Wyoming Ave and Swains Pond Ave near the Malden line,” the department said in a statement on Monday night. “We do not have a time frame of when the issue will be resolved.”

According to the city however, both breaks were ultimately able to be repaired and resolved by Monday night.

“Some residents in the affected neighborhoods may have noticed discolored water after service resumed,” Melrose Communications Manager Thomas Dalton told Patch. “They should run cold water from the lowest level in the home until it runs clear.”

Dalton added that water was shut off and traffic had to be temporarily detoured in the neighborhoods where the breaks took place while they were being repaired.

A water main break is a crack or rupture in the underground pipes that deliver water to residents. These breaks lead to water leaking to the surface, resulting in low water pressure for users, potential road damage, sinkholes, and, in some cases, temporary service outages. Freezing temperatures is a leading cause of breaks, and the recent cold front resulting in near negative temperatures could have contributed to the occurrences.

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