Gas Line Repair/Water Main Break Slows Morning Commute

Rush hour traffic was slowed further by two incidents: one in Westborough and another in Southborough.

A water main break in Southborough and an emergency gas line repair in Westborough have been slowing an already-busy Monday morning drive for local commuters. Westborough Patch received several reports of backed up traffic on Route 30, with one reader saying it took her 55 minutes on Route 9 to get from Route 30 to Southborough during rush hour. Richard Voutas, assistant manager for the Department of Public Works, said the traffic was likely due to two issues: 1) National Grid being out at the ramp going west off Route 30 for an emergency gas leak repair, and 2) a water main break on Route 9 east in Southborough.

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UPDATED: Water Main Break in Westborough Fixed

Route 135 near Morse and Belknap streets is down to one lane during the repairs.

Westborough's third water main break over less than 10 days has been fixed. The latest one, on Hopkinton Road (Route 135) near Morse and Belknap streets this morning, slowed traffic and discoloring the water there, Police Chief Alan Gordon said in a press release. The Department of Public Works posted on the town website at 4:38 p.m. that the main was fixed. Route 135 was down to one lane near the break while DPW crews repaired it. Last Friday, a water main break discolored water on Westborough's north side into the evening. And last Monday, July 30, a break at a private West Main Street office complex caused dirty water downtown.

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Water Main Break Discolors Water on Westborough's North Side

Police say the issue will last a few more hours.

Westborough Police are warning residents on the town's north side not to drink their water or do laundry for the next few hours. A water main break has discolored the water, police said in a press release tonight. Public works crews are flushing hydrants toward addressing the problem, police said. Police are asking residents not to report discolored water to them or the fire department.

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Police and Fire Notes

Large Water Main Break Floods Road and Yards

Crews were spotted finishing repairs at about 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

  An 8 inch water pipe burst shortly before 8 a.m. near Samson and Flanders roads, causing brown water to flow in a large portion of Westborough today. Workers repaired the water main break around 1:30 p.m. and then began filling the large excavated hole. “It’s a fairly large break,” said Westborough Police Officer Clifford Luce. He estimated 80 percent of the town was affected by the break, with both brown water and no water in areas. Flanders Road was closed between East Main Street and Longmeadow Road while crews repaired the break. Large areas of pooled water could be seen on both the road and nearby yards. According to comments on the Westborough Patch Facebook page, brown water was found as far from the break as Chestnut Street.   …

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