Residents and commuters in Northeast Philadelphia faced disruptions this week as two separate water main breaks occurred along Cottman Avenue. The latest break, reported today, flooded the intersection of Cottman and Oxford Avenues, as confirmed by NBC10, who was at the scene capturing water spilling onto the streets. In response to the urgent situation, officials have closed Cottman Avenue between Rising Sun Avenue and Bingham Street, affecting all lanes, including adjacent side streets.
The preceding incident, which took place on Sunday, around 3 p.m., involved an eight-inch main at the intersection of Cottman Avenue and James Street. According to 6abc.com, this earlier break sent muddy water gushing into the neighborhood, prompting emergency repairs and causing water services to be cut off. There has been no official statement yet on the root causes of these incidents or the estimated time required to complete the repairs.
Yesterday's water main break caused more than just commuting troubles; several commercial properties in the vicinity suffered from the flooding. The Philadelphia Water Department indicated that, while residential areas remained largely unaffected, businesses experienced significant disruption. As CBS News Philadelphia reported, the PWD promptly turned off the water to the broken main last night. Despite these efforts, Franklin Street remains closed above Cottman Avenue as crews work on repairs.
Residents experiencing any additional problems due to the water main break have been advised to contact the Philadelphia Water Department directly. "If residents have any problems, they should call 215-685-6300 to report the issue," a statement obtained by CBS News Philadelphia. Meanwhile, commuters are advised to seek alternate routes to avoid the impacted sections of Cottman Avenue.
