Baldwin residents flush with frustration after latest broken water main

Water has been restored to the 115 Baldwin homes that were without service for most of Monday after an underground main broke for the second time in less than four months.

The break at about 1 a.m. Monday underneath Winona Road, stopped water service to residents of homes up and down the block near Anderson Street. The main break meant hours without water to flush toilets or run faucets, but plenty at the ready on flooded driveways and front lawns.

"It’s ridiculous," said Regina Fontaine, a Winona Road resident, earlier Monday night as she and her family entered their 17th hour waiting for water to be turned back on. 

"I have a sink full of dishes," Fontaine added, "I can’t do laundry."

Pam Bellings, a spokeswoman for Liberty New York Water, said service was restored to all of the affected customers late Monday night.

In a statement earlier Monday, the water company had said crews "were able to isolate the leak" and planned to "continue to work until water is restored to all customers."

Until then, the statement added, "We are distributing bottled water to customers who need it through a station set up in the area. We can also distribute directly to homes if needed."

In June, residents on Winona Road lost water after an underground main burst in the same location as Monday's. Shortly after that break, the Nassau County Health Department issued a boil water-advisory. The incident disrupted service for about 30,000 customers, Bellings previously told Newsday. She said the June water main break occurred about 3 p.m. and customers had water by 8 a.m. the following day.

But residents said that June fix was a steadier process than the one underway Monday.

Fontaine said Liberty originally notified residents their water should be turned back on by 4 p.m. About 6 p.m., she said her family still couldn't flush their toilets or wash their hands.

Baldwin residents commended the efforts of the workers digging away at the sinkhole, making repairs and cleaning the muck that washed onto sidewalks and lawns.

"They’ve been busting their backs," Louis Filangeri said. "I left for work this morning at 6:30 and they were out here and they haven’t stopped."

Fontaine questioned why there was another main break in the location where crews made repairs in June.

"In three months, after they repair the street and everything is good," she said, "is another water main in the exact same spot going to break again?"

Others, including Filangeri, said they are "not overly concerned" about the close proximity and timing of the two breaks.

"It’s like a car," Filangeri said, "you got an old car, it breaks down."

In the statement, Liberty said water main repairs underneath the streets of Baldwin are "a priority."