Jessica Curran, on porch, left and her daughter react as Lewiston Water Dept. worker Randy Gauthier and others work to relieve the water that flowed down Diamond Court where they live after a 12-inch water main broke Sunday around the corner on Orange Street. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
A water main break Sunday morning in Lewiston on Orange Street has caused flooding of the streets and residential homes and the city to issue a boil water order.
A 12-inch water main on Orange Street failed, said a supervisor on scene from the Lewiston Public Works Department, gushing between 6,000-10,000 gallons of water a minute when it first broke. The department is currently unsure of the extent of the damage, the city of Lewiston shared on social media.
The water department shut down water on Orange Street from Webster Street to Sabattus Street and on Diamond Court, according to the city, causing a large percent of Lewiston residents to be without water for a brief period on Sunday morning.
A large hole indicates where a 12-inch water main broke Sunday on Orange Street in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
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The break was then isolated to Orange Street, according to the city. Homes on Orange Street and Diamond Court, where a lot of the water ended up, will not have water for a significant period of time until the water main can be repaired, said a public works member at the site.
Later on Sunday morning, the city issued a boil water order for a majority of Lewiston due to the possibility of unsafe drinking water. The guidance remains in effect until further notice.
Homes on Orange Street and Diamond Court are also likely experiencing significant flooding, as the leaked water surrounding the homes was waist-deep in certain places.
This is a developing story.
Sophie is a community reporter for Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth and Falmouth and previously reported for the Forecaster. Her memories of briefly living on Mount Desert Island as a child drew her…
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