The Great Salt Bay Sanitary District (GSBSD) is working to restore water service to Bus. Rt. 1 customers after holes burst in the water line near First Federal Savings Bank and Yellowfront Grocery.
As of 3:15 p.m., one hole has been repaired and GSBSD Water Division Manager Scott Abbotoni hopes to reassemble the second pipe soon.
Shortly before 10 a.m., Damariscotta and GSBSD employees were using a fire hose and hydrant to clear out a blocked culvert adjacent to the Coastal Marketplace property.
The workers shut off the hydrant and “something in the hydrant failed” causing a sharp increase in water pressure and blowing two holes in the water line, Abbotoni said.
The incident caused a silver dollar-size hole and a 10-foot crack in the pipe across the street from First Federal Savings and a three-foot-long, 3-4 inch hole in the pipe in front of Yellowfront Grocery.
Hagar Enterprises, a Damariscotta based contractor, is assisting the district with repairs.
The incident has left customers along Bus. Rt. 1 from Damariscotta Baptist Church to the School Street intersection without water.
