Water main break repaired in Baltimore County, but Boil Water Advisory remains

BALTIMORE —  Hundreds of residents in northern Baltimore County are still under a Boil Water Advisory because of a 20-inch water main break.

The water main break was repaired by about 6:45 a.m. Wednesday morning but officials say the Boil Water Advisory could last another 24 to 48 hours

Officials continued to pass out bottled water to those who are affected by the water main break.

As of Wednesday afternoon, nearly 1.900 customers in Sparks, Cockeysville, Hunt Valley and Broadmead remain impacted.

"Yesterday evening we still had water, but this morning, I noticed it wasn't quite right and I just found out that we are totally out of water," Margo Porter said. 

Baltimore City and Baltimore County officials said the water main break happened around 6 p.m. Monday in the 13000 block of York Road in front of Broadmeade Retirement Facility.

"There were visible signs of road damage and an immense amount of water that was stagnant in the area but then also flowing downstream," said Baltimore Department of Public Works spokesperson Blair Adams.    

DPW crews spent most of Monday night into Tuesday locating the break.

"Unfortunately we had to turn the water off to those residents in the Cockeysville, Hunt Valley, Sparks and Broadmeade Nursing facility and the surrounding community," Adams said.

Once the break was identified, crews spent all Tuesday repairing it.

Late Tuesday night, DPW issued a precautionary Boil Water Advisory.

Officials said water levels in the nearby million-gallon tower dropped by about 100,000 gallons per hour throughout the day Tuesday, and when pressure is lost you run the risk of contamination to the distribution system.

"Once that tower loses water and we have to re-flush the line, they just want to make sure to test that water," Baltimore County DPW spokesperson Lowell Melser said.

Crews repaired the pipe early Wednesday morning.

DPW said, so far, no known e.Coli or other contaminants have been detected.

The agency will lift the advisory once water safety is confirmed by Maryland Department of the Environment.

City engineers confirmed the pipe is about 50-years-old and they're doing some forensic engineering to determine cause of failure

Officials said they are hoping to reopen York Road on Thursday, however that could be delayed if it rains.

DPW will be back distributing water bottles from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Here's what you need to know if you are under a Boil Water Advisory.