LEWISTON — Work to repair a water main break south of downtown Monday morning caused bigger problems throughout the city’s water supply, according to city officials.

Public Works Director Dave Jones said crews were working to repair broken water mains at three locations around the city: near the Ferry and Apple roads intersection; on Irwin Street, north of Lisbon Street; and on Boston Avenue, near Webster Street.

Crews had limited equipment to make the repairs and that slowed work.

“We only have one impact hammer we can use, and they’re using it now on Ferry Road,” Jones said. “As soon as they get below the frost line there, they’ll send that hammer down to the next break. We’ll have a highway crew come in as soon as the repairs are done, then they’ll move to the next break and that impact hammer will move to the third break.”

Jones said he expected his crews would be working until late Monday night.

“It’s going to be a while,” he said.

An estimated fewer than 50 water customers had lost service during the break that started on Ferry Road, he said.

Crews discovered the break in the main and shut down service to the line. It also shut down the lines to the Ferry Road reservoir tanks.

“That tank sort of acts like a shock absorber, if you will, for the system,” Jones said. “When we closed that system off, the water could not get to that reservoir and we no longer had that buffer.”

Jones said the water pumps along Central Avenue turned on Monday morning, sending a supply of water into the system. Without that buffer, the water rebounded and the increased water pressure burst the mains on Irwin Street and Boston Avenue.

“We had a big water hammer that caused those two other breaks,” Jones said.

Ferry Road between Apple and Commercial roads was closed to traffic during repairs.

staylor@sunjournal.com