Lehigh Valley sees water main breaks, pipes burst as cold persists
Northampton County emergency management reported two water main breaks and an apartment building that had to be evacuated due to flooding as extreme cold took a toll on water pipes.
Crews responded to the scene of one water main break Saturday morning at Eighth and Pearl streets in Easton. The break was first reported to Northampton County emergency management around 10 a.m., officials said.
By 1 p.m., no reports had yet come from residents saying their water supply had been impacted by the break, officials added. Crews had left the area by 4 p.m.
The source of another water main break in Lower Saucon Township was discovered at 7:46 a.m. after night crews responded to multiple calls from residents saying they were out of water.
That break occurred at 1900 Meadows Road. Photos posted to social media show what appears to be a sinkhole in the area. County officials could not confirm the presence of a sinkhole, but said repair crews were still at the scene as of 4 p.m.
Meanwhile an apartment building at 2121 Hokendauqua Ave. in Northampton was evacuated after pipes in the building burst. As of 4 p.m., county officials said 38 residents were in the process of being shuttled to a community center at 1601 Laubach Ave.
The water main breaks occurred as the Lehigh Valley faced another day of sub-freezing temperatures. Saturday’s low was around minus 3, and by mid-morning temperatures had only warmed into the single digits.
On Friday, a burst pipe flooded portions of the Kindness Project’s headquarters in Emmaus. The nonprofit that aids foster youth is seeking donations to help pay for cleanup costs.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.