Water Main Break in Downtown NYC

Water Main Break in Downtown NYC

On August 10, 2006, a 140-foot-long water main at the intersection of West Broadway and Duane Street in New York City finally had its fill, bursting open for the first time since it was built in 1870. The break caused flooding in 15 residential and office buildings, and some of them were immediately evacuated, meaning that everyone had to leave.

Part of bigger water supply systems, water mains are underground pipes that help bring water into peoples’ homes, offices, restaurants, and anywhere there is a sink.

Multiple Choice

What is a water main?

• an intersection

• an underground pipe

• a building

• a local leader

Multiple Choice

Which picture shows a water main?

Multiple Select

Which picture(s) shows a broken water main?

Temperature change causes most water main breaks—even a ten-degree change can make water mains more susceptible to breaking. When temperatures fall below freezing or when the temperature becomes very hot, the ground around water mains shifts. This puts stress on water mains, and it might lead to water mains breaking.

Multiple Choice

The effects of a water main break range from small inconveniences for nearby residents to devastating property damages for businesses. What is the cause of most water main breaks?

• vandalism and crime

• temperature changes

• shrinking city budgets

• flooded basements

When a water main breaks, it can shut off the water supply people use in their houses and businesses.

Many people were stuck standing on the sidewalk in the very early hours of the morning, while others who lived in the neighborhood didn’t even know about the incident until they saw it on the news.

“I just had to walk an extra block out of the way today. They got it fixed really quickly,” said Annouchka Engel, who lives on Murray Street and West Broadway. “This morning there was water everywhere, and now it’s almost all cleared up.”

Local businesses, however, were instantly faced with devastating, unavoidable damages.

“The majority of our stock is damaged, as well as a lot of our electronic equipment, but the city is going to compensate us,” said Dajuah Morgan, Assistant Manager of the American Apparel store at 140 West Broadway. Once the basement had filled with water, as much as $50,000 worth of merchandise was badly damaged, but she predicted the store would reopen again early that evening.

The telecommunication building at 60 Hudson Street, a longtime concern among residents because of its diesel fuel storage, experienced several feet of flooding in the basement.

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentences:

“‘The majority of our stock is damaged, as well as a lot of our electronic equipment, but the city is going to compensate us,’ said Dajuah Morgan, Assistant Manager of the American Apparel store at 140 West Broadway. Once the basement had filled with water, as much as $50,000 worth of merchandise was badly damaged.”

Based on the evidence above, what conclusion can be made?

• Retail stores look forward to water main breaks, as it’s a good way for them to make extra money.

• This author quoted Dajuah Morgan because she is an expert on water main breaks.

• Local businesses can be faced with serious damages due to broken water mains.

“It happens in every city,” said Michael Saucier, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection, noting that the department had spent $20-30 million each year replacing old water mains before they break. As he watched dozens of Con-Ed workers milling about West Broadway, Saucier astutely resolved, “You can’t get to them all, though.”

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentences:

“‘It happens in every city,’ said Michael Saucier, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection, noting that the department had spent $20-30 million each year replacing old water mains before they break. As he watched dozens of Con-Ed workers milling about West Broadway, Saucier astutely resolved, ‘You can’t get to them all, though.’”

Based on the evidence above, what conclusion can be made?

• Saucier thinks that New York City has bigger water main problems than other cities.

• Saucier thinks that New York City is not spending enough to fix the problem.

• Saucier thinks that even though his department works hard, water main breaks are unavoidable.

• Saucier thinks that even though water mains break, it’s not important to replace all of them.

Multiple Choice

What is this article mainly about?

• how New York City’s water mains work

• the causes and effects of water main breaks

• the story of one business owner affected by a break

• the solutions to New York City’s water main problems

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentences:

“When temperatures fall below freezing or when the temperature becomes very hot, the ground around water mains shifts. This puts stress on water mains, and it might lead to water mains breaking."

As used in the text, what does the word “stress” most nearly mean?

• emphasis

• physical pressure

• emotional pressure

• importance

Open Ended

As discussed in the article, what was one specific consequence of the 2006 water main break at the intersection of West Broadway and Duane Street in New York City?

Open Ended

How does the Department of Environmental Protection try to prevent water breaks from happening?

Open Ended

Read the following sentences: “‘It happens in every city,’ said Michael Saucier, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection, noting that the department had spent $20-30 million each year replacing old water mains before they break. As he watched dozens of Con-Ed workers milling about West Broadway, Saucier astutely resolved, ‘You can’t get to them all, though.’”

Based on the evidence above, how does Saucier–who is responsible for keeping New York City protected from water main breaks–most likely feel about the water main break discussed in this story?