FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Crews made faster-than-expected progress Sunday repairing a broken pipe that cut the clean-water supply to 2 million Boston-area residents, prompting Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thom as Menino to urge schools, businesses and commuters to resume their normal routines as the workweek began.
“Boston’s open for business,” Menino declared during a joint news conference with his fellow Democrat.
“So is the whole eastern Commonwealth,” Patrick added.
Boston School Superintendent Carol Johnson also struck a confident tone as she looked ahead to today, saying: “The good news is, for all of our students, we expect to see you in school on time.”
Nonetheless, a boil-water alert remained in effect for Boston and 29 surrounding communities. Health officials warned of the risk of a parasite infection if residents used unboiled tap water for brushing their teeth, washing raw vegetables or making ice. It remained safe for showering and toilet flushing, with one official likening it to lake water.
Officials hoped to finish testing water pressure and quality today, then make a decision on lifting the boil-water alert.
The head of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority also didn’t shy from stating the magnitude of the problem created when a 10-foot-wide steel pipe burst at a seam Saturday morning. Over the next eight hours, an estimated 65 million gallons spilled into the Charles River and forced officials to tap a reservoir filled with untreated water, potentially contaminating the supply to 750,000 households.
“For the people in the water industry, it is everyone’s worst nightmare: to lose your main transmission line coming into a metropolitan area,” said MWRA Executive Director Fred erick Laskey.
The break interrupted normal weekend routines, with many Dunkin’ Donuts franchises stopping the sale of coffee. Customers lined up at stores to buy bottled water, and Patrick and Attorney General Martha Coakley warned against price- gouging.
Adding to the pressure was unseasonably warm weather, with 80-degree temperatures not seen since last summer. Menino, fearing a loss of business, noted many restaurants were open “and serving delicious meals.”
