City water clean following pipe break

LACONIA — Water Superintendent Ben Crawford said Friday city water was clean following a main break on Court Street Wednesday. A voluntary boil order in Belmont was lifted, after the town’s public works department received test results, as well.

“We got the final results and we’re all clear,” Crawford said. No bacteria was detected in either water supply.

The break occurred on Wednesday and affected residents and businesses on the south end of the city, as well as along the Route 3 corridor into Belmont.

Belmont town staff opted to issue a voluntary water boil notice, following a recommendation from the state Department of Environmental Services on Thursday, for only residents and businesses affected along Route 3.

Public Works Director Brian Jackes confirmed Friday Belmont was also cleared of all bacteria, and the boil order was lifted around noon on Friday. Affected residents and businesses were notified through phone calls, emails and hand deliveries, because it affected a small portion of the town’s population.

The city’s Water Department detected the break via technology, which showed that tank levels had dropped at about midnight on Wednesday. Crawford and other staff responded to the area, but the break did not surface until around 4 a.m.

The roadway was dug up using an excavator near the intersection of Court and Pearl streets, and traffic was blocked from both directions. Crews worked throughout the day to get the water main repaired. Crawford said the break was likely caused by cold temperatures and the age of the pipes.

Water was restored to customers on Wednesday evening.