Mayor Malik Evans has declared a state of emergency for Rochester beginning Noon Thursday. UPDATE: the advisory was lifted over Christmas day.
A break in a main trunk water line on Rochester’s West Side Wednesday Evening forced the city to declare a boil water advisory and schools to close down on Thursday due to lack of water service. With that and a major winter storm bearing down on the area Friday, Evans says a state of emergency will make it necessary to do what needs to be done to keep people safe.
Rochester School Superintendent Carmine Peluso said there would be no school on Friday in the city as well.
County Executive Adam Bello said his public safety and office of emergency management are working on the coming storm along with the health department. They’re prepared for what the National Weather Service says will be a once in a generation storm with localized blizzard conditions, especially on the western side of the county. Warming stations are being set up for people who lose power.
The 36 inch main burst just before 5:00 p.m. on Favor Street near Ford Street. Water flooded the surrounding streets, as well as homes and businesses. Many were left without water, and restaurants in that part of town had to close just before the dinner hours. The main was 130 years old.
Callers to local media said water pressure was affected along the west side as far north as Ridgeway Avenue.
Police immediately closed off the area and crews worked through the night to come at and fix the leak. Traffic remained closed from West Main to Atkinson Street on Thursday morning.