BOSTON — Some Chinatown businesses are experiencing plummeting sales following a Sunday water main break as well as other recent infrastructure incidents.
The 12-inch pipe ruptured Sunday afternoon near the intersection of Harrison Ave., and Beach St., leaving the neighborhood flooded and forcing tourists and residents to wade through inches of water, hop from one dry spot to the next or simply avoid the area altogether.
Crews continued working late Monday night, with work expected to finish by Tuesday morning in what was a complex repair, having to safely work around other underground utility lines in close proximity to the water pipe.
The weekend disaster follows other infrastructure problems just feet away in recent weeks, including another water leak and a gas leak.
Stephen Mulloney of Boston Water and Sewer Commission told Boston 25 News it is unclear whether the age of the pipe or construction in the area caused Sunday’s break.
But infrastructure improvements in the area are coming, he said, with a new project scheduled to begin Tuesday to replace a 100-year-old water main on nearby Hudson Street. Another project to replace a 100-year-old main on Tyler Street will commence after next winter.
“An incident like that yesterday had a major impact on not only the quality of life for residents but also on the business community as well,” said City Councilor Ed Flynn who monitored the situation in his district Sunday and Monday. “This is an old neighborhood, and across Boston, we have old infrastructure, pipes, and facilities, they constantly need to be upgraded. And that’s something that we’ll never finish, always constantly have to work on, but I think working together we can make improvements.”
Business owner Axel Winnemuller stocked up on the ice as soon as he learned his water service at Café Darq would be shut off Sunday. He was among a limited number of business owners and residents left without water.
Winnemuller was initially able to stay open Sunday even as his ice and drink machines were no longer in service and began washing dishes with bottled water, but sales were slashed to about half, he estimated.
By Monday, the ice was gone and the water was still out as repair work continued. Winnemuller was forced to close altogether, awaiting the health inspector as he hoped for a temporary water source with enough pressure to be brought into the basement by hose.
“It’s a normal event lately,” Winnemuller said Sunday. “Maybe because we’re consistently doing this, we kind of plan it in. But this year is pretty bad with the construction going on, the gas leak, the water leak.”
The incidents are just another challenge for Chinatown restaurants, Flynn said, urging people to travel to the neighborhood and give business to establishments still rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s important for people to come back to Chinatown, and support restaurants that are struggling. Support these immigrant-owned businesses, walk around say hello to people. They’re wonderful people,” Flynn said. “This community was hurt by the pandemic but also by the anti-Asian sentiment we’ve had here in greater Boston and throughout the country.”
Boston Water and Sewer parked its water truck on Beach Street supplying those in need with fresh water on tap.
Despite the aging infrastructure and the difficulty in denser neighborhoods, Mulloney said Boston has the lowest water main break percentage among all major U.S. cities.
“Even though it’s an older city, we have an aggressive improvement program,” Mulloney said. “We have aging infrastructure, but for 30 years, we have been improving it, too.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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