‘Just inconvenient’: Service disrupted after Myers Park water main break

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Water crews spent Tuesday morning repairing a water main break, this time in Myers Park, and neighbors told Channel 9 it’s happening more often.

Emergency crews had to close several lanes along busy roads in Myers Park after the water main broke during the morning rush hour.

Charlotte Water officials said they were responding to the water main break along Queens Road West at Westfield Road. Police were closing some lanes as water bubbled up from the ground and flowed down the streets.

Drivers were told to use Park Road or Selwyn Avenue as alternate routes.

According to Charlotte Water, customers in the 2000 block of Queens Road West, between Croydon Road and Selwyn Avenue, will be without water service until at least 3 p.m. as repairs are made.

Neighbors told Channel 9 reporter Anthony Kustura sights like Tuesday morning are becoming more common in Charlotte.

This latest water main issue marks the fourth time in as many weeks that Channel 9 has covered a water main break in the city.

Myers Park resident Tom Fredenberg lost water for hours, as did dozens of other customers.

“You have to run to the store and get water and wash your hair real quick and get ready for work,” he said. “It’s just inconvenient. Toilets don’t flush.”

Fredenberg told Channel 9 that the outages are becoming part of his routine. He lost water last month during a massive break along Remount Road, and several times before then.

That Remount Road rupture shut off water service for half the city and forced a boil water advisory for thousands of customers.

Fredenberg blames aging pipes.

“Some of these are old, they’ve been around a long time,” he said.

Last month, Charlotte Water told Channel 9 that 6% of its system is at least 50 years old -- but that doesn’t necessarily mean faulty pipes. The director of Charlotte Water said then that “Charlotte Water is reviewing this incident for improvement opportunities.”

Fredenburg said it all boils down to one thing: Maintenance.

“It’s got to be done,” he said.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

(WATCH BELOW: ‘Massive wall of water’: Witness recalls capturing massive water main break on video)

'Massive wall of water': Witness recalls capturing massive water main break on video

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