TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Parker Boulevard in the Town of Tonawanda remains closed between Moore and Harrison avenues following a water main break. Roadwork is scheduled to be completed Wednesday afternoon.
The break, which happened Saturday night, sent water shooting into nearby streets and turned them into what residents described as a small river. Town Supervisor John Flynn said the town has dealt with more than 10 water main breaks since Saturday, all linked to excessive heat.
Lynn Valentine and her husband, Eric, have lived on Harrison Avenue for nine years. Valentine said she had never seen anything like what unfolded just up the street at the corner of Parker Boulevard.
"The road just looked like it was buckling up, and then all of a sudden water came shooting out and the road flooded within minutes," Valentine said.
Valentine said town crews responded quickly, and her home was not affected.
"No discolored water. The water wasn't off; nothing came in my crawl space," Valentine said.
WATCH: Town of Tonawanda reports more than 10 water main breaks due to 'excessive heat'
Flynn said the extreme heat is driving the same kind of ground movement that causes breaks in winter.
"From a geological standpoint, it's the same concept," Flynn said. "In the winter, the ground freezes, the soil, because of the freeze, gets compacted in a way, it shifts the pipes underneath it, they crack. Same thing in the summer. Dryness of the soil, that dryness impacts the pipes below, they crack. But you don't see it as often because our winters are much colder than our summers are hotter."
A water main break on Tuesday in the parking lot of the Town of Tonawanda Senior Citizen Center forced that facility to close as well.
Flynn said he expects more breaks as the heat and humidity persist.
"One, I expect more, yes, and two, you stay on top of it with our outstanding workers. We have the best crews in all of Erie County," Flynn said.
Residents experiencing discolored water at home are likely seeing the effects of a nearby water main break. The town says discolored water is not considered a safety risk. Flynn encourages anyone experiencing water issues to contact the town's water department.
