Crews in Quincy respond to water main break

QUINCY, Mass. — A water main break in Quincy Center left a good portion of the city without water for about an hour on Christmas Day.

Crews said late Wednesday afternoon that most homes are back up and running but the construction will roll on into the night.

Excavators have been working on Cliveden Street since around 1 p.m. Officials said this was a major break that soaked downtown and left some without water this Christmas.

#NOW: Crews in Quincy are digging up Cliveden St. after a 12-16 inch water main break.

Water was reportedly rushing down Hancock St. this afternoon in Quincy Center.

Lights for the construction just arrived. Appears Cliveden will be shut down into Christmas night. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/pYmKDJzwS0
— Daniel Coates (@danielcoates_25) December 25, 2024

Crews told Boston 25 me they got to Cliveden Street just off Hancock Street around 12:45 p.m., when water was reportedly rushing down both streets in Quincy Center, until they began pumping it out themselves and they have been for hours now.

Public works crews aren’t sure exactly what caused this but what they do know is that roughly 10 neighborhoods were impacted for an hour on Wednesday.

“We saw on social media there were people all over the city mostly people in the … high areas of the city up on the hill were either low pressure or no water whatsoever,” said Chris Newton of the Quincy DPW.

It’s not a good day for that to happen. Crews around 6 p.m. were cutting out an 8 to 15 foot pipe underground.

The good news though is that almost all the homes affected have their water back up and running.

The DPW said there is no estimated time when this road will be back open but lights are still up, which shows it could go well into Christmas night.

A large water main break has occurred in the area of Hancock Street at Cliveden Street, this has resulted in no water. DPW are working to repair the break, we will post updates as they become available. pic.twitter.com/afXwjuKVDN
— Quincy, MA Police Dept (@quincymapolice) December 25, 2024