Press Release
For Immediate Release
Friday, December 26, 2025
Contact:
Jennifer Rose
Press Secretary, Office of Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr.
Email: Jrose@waterburyct.org
Water Department to Complete Critical Repairs on Thomaston Avenue Water Main
(Waterbury, CT) – The City of Waterbury Water Department will resume work on the Thomaston Avenue water main in the early morning hours of Monday, December 29, 2025, to complete critical repairs related to the major water main failure that occurred earlier this month.
The December break on Thomaston Avenue was one of the most significant infrastructure failures the City of Waterbury has experienced in decades. The failure of a 36-inch transmission main, following an earlier break on the same roadway, disrupted water service citywide and required an unprecedented emergency response. Crews worked continuously to isolate the damaged sections, construct a bypass, and restore water service safely to approximately 115,000 residents.
While water service has since been restored, the emergency repairs performed during the initial response were designed to stabilize the system and allow water to flow safely back into the city. Additional permanent work is now required to fully secure the affected section of main. Crews will be completing repairs to both the 36-inch high-pressure line and the 36-inch low-pressure gravity line near Sprague Elementary School.
This phase of work will require a short, carefully controlled shutdown of the 36-inch low-pressure main so that a line stop valve can be installed. Once the valve installation is complete, the line will be immediately returned to service. Residents are not expected to experience a loss of water service during this work. The city has contingency plans in place to restore service immediately should any unforeseen issues arise.
Work is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:00 AM, a time selected due to historically low water demand. The timing of the repairs was also coordinated to minimize disruption to residents, businesses, and traffic, and to take advantage of the school winter break.
Once the water main repairs are completed, crews will begin the process of restoring the roadway. Roadway restoration is expected to take approximately 10 additional days, weather permitting.
Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr., praised the continued efforts of Water Department crews and contractors.
“This failure placed an extraordinary strain on our water system and on our residents. Our crews have worked around the clock from the moment this break occurred, first to restore water safely and now to complete the necessary repairs to secure this section of main. We appreciate the continued patience of our community as this final phase of work is completed.”
The Water Department and its contractors will remain on site throughout the operation and will continue working around the clock until the repairs are finished, with a focus on safety, system stability, and minimizing impacts to the public.
Residents are encouraged to visit www.waterburyct.org for official updates.