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As the infrastructure crumbles .......
What Happens When 140-Year-Old Water Main Bursts
The Department of Environmental Protection says the water main that burst early Wednesday, disrupting eight subway lines and leaving a van-sized hole in the ground, was likely one of the original pipes from the Croton Aqueduct that first brought Catskills water to New York City.
The DEP says the 36-inch cast iron pipe was laid in 1877, and its age and the recent temperature swings probably played a role in the break.
The main burst around 1:40 a.m., flooding Fifth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets. It caused extensive delays and disruptions to the B, D, F, M, J, Z, N and Q lines, and M2 and M5 buses were re-routed.
The Cardozo Law school building on 5th Ave and 12th was closed after flooding in the basement affected the building's heat and elevators; PS 226 (located at 12 W12th Street) was relocated to a school on East 15th Street for the day; and the New School University buildings on 5th Ave. and at 2 W. 13th St had delayed openings. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.wnyc.org/story/water-main-break-causing-major-subway-delays/