As dive crews worked on emergency repairs to a 16-inch water main that runs along the bottom of the New River, Fort Lauderdale issued a boil-water order Monday for a section of downtown.
The precautionary boil-water order came about 5:30 p.m., hours after the water main break.
“The first call came in at approximately 8 a.m.,” city spokesman Chaz Adams said. “Crews were dispatched to investigate.”
Both the courthouse and Broward County main jail temporarily lost water service, and several buildings in the area experienced a drop in water pressure.
Once crews figured out the problem, the city called its emergency contractor to dispatch a diving crew to investigate the submerged pipe just east of the Andrews Avenue bridge, Adams said.
The cause of the break was unclear Monday.
“This particular pipe is approximately 50 years old and has already been identified as one that will be replaced as part of the $610 million in infrastructure improvements that the city will be making through its Community Investment Plan,” Adams said.
City crews located the valves that control the system’s water flow and were able to isolate the break so water pressure could be returned to normal operating levels in the surrounding area.
As a precaution, city officials issued a boil-water notice to properties between South Andrews Avenue and Southeast Third Avenue, from East Las Olas Boulevard to Southeast Sixth Street. The notice will remain in effect until bacteriological surveys show the water is safe to drink, Adams said.
All water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes should be boiled for one minute. Those who don’t want to boil their water can use bottled water.
Fort Lauderdale water customers have endured a series of boil-water orders in recent months as city officials struggle to patch the system’s aging pipes.
Crews working underwater will remove the damaged portion of pipe and replace it with a new section.
It was unclear how long the repairs will take or just how many buildings were affected.
“We do not have a definitive list of other buildings that may have experienced water service interruptions,” Adams said. Some buildings may have lost service because their pump systems automatically shut off when water pressure is low, he said.
Properties near the water main break might experience low water pressure and temporary water service interruptions while crews make repairs, Adams said.
City officials urged property managers to check their buildings’ internal pumping systems and restart them if needed to ensure they were operating at normal pressure.
Anyone with questions can call the city’s 24-hour Neighbor Service Center at 954-828-8000.
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4554.
