MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Crews repairing an overnight water main break at a busy South Beach intersection were forced to dig a hole in the ground, causing traffic backups.
7Skyforce hovered over crews by the exposed water line near Prairie Avenue and Dade Boulevard, just north of the Miami Beach Convention Center, at around 9:40 a.m. on Friday.
City officials said the water line broke at around 3 a.m. and began pouring water onto the street, causing some road flooding.
The repairs caused crews to excavate in a section of the roadway.
Officials issued a precautionary boil water notice to residents of 2001 Meridian Avenue, but that is the only location currently being affected. The city anticipates that notice to carry through the weekend and end on Monday.
Residents from the building said they were annoyed to find out about it right before the start of the weekend.
“My friend texted me this morning and told me about it and I didn’t know,” said a resident impacted by the boil water notice.
“This is the first I heard, and I’ve been drinking water all morning,” said Christi LeMahieu, a resident under the boil water notice.
While they still had water, residents like Irina Catanoi said it was still a hassle to deal with.
“I would’ve loved to have taken a bath today but I couldn’t,” said Catanoi. “They told us just to boil any water that we use for toothbrush, for cooking, drinking.”
“It’s kinda annoying, but, like, in my kitchen, I have the thing that boils directly the water for the, like, from the sink for the tea so I’m just choosing that,” said a resident.
Hours later, a backloader was seen clearing debris from the intersection, as crews examined several pipes underground and installed new pieces of pipe.
Traffic on Dade Boulevard near Miami Beach Senior High School has been reduced to one lane in each direction, so officials advise drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes. Drivers trying to pass through the intersection by Prairie Avenue had to turn around.
A spokesperson for Miami Beach Senior High School confirmed that the water main break did not interrupt any operations on campus. The break did have a minor impact on some water fountains and air conditioning units.
City officials said that the repairs on the road have been made and that the road has fully reopened.
Officials also said that the precautionary boil water notice for the building remains in effect until Monday.
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