New Hampshire

Multiple Schools Cancel Classes After Major Water Main Break in Manchester, NH

Video show water gushing down city streets

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Hundreds of people in New Hampshire's largest city were without water for most of the day Wednesday after a massive water main break.

The break on Mammoth Road in Manchester flooded neighborhoods and caused schools to close.

Authorities at Manchester Water Works say the 20-inch water main dates back to 1960. When it broke around 4:30 a.m., it sent about 2 million gallons of water gushing down side streets.

By midmorning, there was still a lot of water on Johnson Street, but there was none at David Sirota's house.

A water main break in Manchester, New Hampshire caused school to be cancelled Wednesday.

"I just collected some buckets of water to flush the toilet and I made coffee this morning with melted ice cubes," he told NBC10 Boston.

He's one of hundreds of people who woke up to the sound of rushing water outside their windows.

"Just flooding down the street. It was like living on a river bank," Sirota said.

"My trash cans were floating down the road with the trash everywhere," said neighbor Brad Humphreys.

"It was like rapids coming down the street," added Melissa MCaffrey. "It was really intense."

The break snarled the morning commute, closed four different schools and kept some people from getting to work.

Employees from Manchester Water Works were on scene all day trying to repair the pipe and minimize the impact on residents.

"The crew was great, they're getting it together pretty quickly," McCaffrey said.

With no injuries and no water in her basement, McCaffrey said it's just a slight inconvenience and she's enjoying and unexpected day at home with her daughter.

"We had an action-packed morning and we can't complain," she said. "Life goes on."

Around 9 p.m., city officials confirmed that the main had been repaired and that water had been restored to all those affected.

Manchester DPW crews will then have to patch up Mammoth Road in time for Thursday morning's commute.

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