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UPDATE Norwood: Burst Water Mains Creates River on Bainbridge Ave & East 206th Street

A WORKER AT Galaxy Coffee Shop in Norwood uses a snow shovel to push water away from the shop front after a water mains broke on Tuesday morning, July 5, 2022. DEP officials estimated that it happened before 5.30 a.m. on July 5, at Bainbridge Avenue and East 206th Street in Norwood. Water entered the subway but reportedly did not disrupt the subway service.
Photo by David Greene

An apparent broken water mains wreaked havoc on early morning commuters in Norwood as Bronxites returned to work after the long, holiday weekend, sending water flowing into the subway and closing a popular corner coffee shop as water to the entire building was shut off.

 

Workers from New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) shut down East 206th Street in Norwood after a water mains break was reported on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
Photo by David Greene

According to an unidentified MTA worker, the burst pipe occurred some time before 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5, at the intersection of East 206th Street and Bainbridge Avenue. Water was seen coming up from multiple locations in the street and even from the wall and ceiling at the East 205th Street subway station.

 

A WORKER FROM New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) uses a sledgehammer to loosen a manhole after a water mains breaks at East 206th Street and Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. 
Photo by David Greene

Workers at the Galaxy Coffee Shop located on Bainbridge Avenue at the northwest corner of the intersection were feverishly working to stop water from coming into their restaurant, first using a broom and later a snow shovel, pushing the water out into the street.

 

WATER DRIPS DOWN into the 205th Street subway station after a water mains broke at East 206th Street and Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
Photo by David Greene

One unidentified Galaxy worker pointed to the brown water that seemed to be bringing up sand. “You lucky to go to the beach. If you didn’t go yesterday, it’s coming here!” he joked as the rushing water filled the intersection and headed east on East 206th Street and north and south on Bainbridge. One man was observed falling off his bicycle as he rode off the curb and into the flowing water that reached the top of the curb.

 

 

A WORKER FROM Galaxy Coffee Shop points to dirt that was being swept up in rushing water after a water mains broke at East 206th Street and Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
Photo by David Greene

Meanwhile, Nicky’s Coffee Shop, located on the southwest corner of Bainbridge Avenue and East 206th Street, never even opened, and someone had posted a sign on the shuttered gate that read, “Closed due to no water in the building.” The water had reportedly been shut off to the 5-story building, located at 284-286 East 206th Street in Norwood.

 

A MAN FALLS off his bike amid water flowing along Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood after a water mains broke on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
Photo by David Greene

A pair of workers from New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) appeared to be having a difficult time removing the manhole cover closest to the flowing water, even after one of the workers took several hard swings at it with a sledgehammer.

 

TWO WOMAN CONSIDER how to cross the street as an employee of Galaxy Coffee Shop in Norwood makes his way past rushing water after a water mains break occurred at East 206th Street and Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. 
Photo by David Greene

The same workers would later remove the sewer cap across Bainbridge Avenue at East 206th Street, and another at Bainbridge Avenue and Van Cortlandt Avenue East. At both sites, the men would remove a mound of black gunk.

 

Workers from New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) remove debris from a manhole at Van Cortlandt Avenue East in Norwood after a water mains breaks on East 206th Street in Norwood on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. 
Photo by David Greene

The streaming water traveled down Bainbridge Avenue to the main road of the eastbound lane of Mosholu Parkway and was later observed continuing to flow down a sewer on Marion Avenue, six blocks away.

 

Latest Bainbridge Construction Project Bulletin
Flier courtesy of NYC Department of Construction & Design (DDC)

DEP workers eventually shut down East 206th Street, and some sections of the roadway appeared to be buckling. The repair will likely be a prolonged headache for residents of the area. A call by Norwood News to Nicky’s Coffee Shop went unanswered. Norwood News contacted DEP for comment. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

Latest Bainbridge Construction Project Newsletter Part 1
Flier courtesy of NYC Department of Construction & Design (DDC)

 

As reported, roadworks are ongoing in the neighborhood due to the Bainbridge Construction Project which started a few months ago. New York City Department of Design & Construction (DDC) has been issuing regular updates on temporary closures to bus stops as well as other announced disruptions.

 


Latest Bainbridge Construction Project Newsletter Part 2
Flier courtesy of NYC Department of Construction & Design (DDC)
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Norwood News will continue to monitor the situation and provide an update from City officials, when available.

 

Workers told a woman at Apsara 1 Hour Photo on Bainbridge Avenue that water service would return by 9 p.m. on Tuesday night.

 

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.

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