HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A precautionary boil water advisory was issued in Hollywood after a 24-inch water main broke Thursday afternoon. Residents who live in the Davie area that receive water from Hollywood or Broward County were also included in the advisory.
A construction crew working at Van Buren Street and South 28th Avenue broke the main, according to Hollywood Fire Rescue. Van Buren Street was closed from Interstate 95 to South 26th Avenue while the water spewed for nearly four and a half hours.
Ironically, that crew was doing utility work to improve and strengthen the water main system.
The boil water advisory was in effect for 24 hours.
"Once you lose pressure on this system, you have the possibility that some contamination could get in the system," said city spokeswoman Raelin Storey. "We'll be doing sampling and testing during that time. If all that sampling and testing comes back good, then that boil water advisory will expire."
Hollywood Fire Rescue Lt. Osvaldo Perez said water hadn't gotten into any businesses or homes.
Restaurant owner Yanina Arias says water is money for her, and she lost both on Thursday because of that main break.
"Some of the stuff we couldn't do -- dishes, make coffee, no ice. The bathrooms, we couldn't use it," Arias said. "We have to boil the water, especially for the veggies so nobody gets sick."
"There's a lot pressure on the lines. And some times they do rupture," Storey said. "Once you lose pressure on the system you have the possibility of contamination could get in the system."
Hollywood Fire Rescue Lt. Osvoldo Perez said that even though the water got close to a couple of homes, no reports came in of water seeping into any businesses or homes.
"We were able to spread out sand and blocked water from going into homes," Perez said.
The water left a muddy mess behind to be cleaned up, but most places had flowing water by 6 p.m. Thursday night.
Broward County service area affected:
- Communities including Swaying Palms, Driftwood Acres, Moonlight Ranch and Riverside
City of Hollywood service area affected:
- Area bounded by Stirling Road to the north, Davie Road Extension to the south, NW 77th Avenue to the east and NW 78th Avenue to the west including the Driftwood Estates community
- Area bounded by Stirling Road to the north, Oak Street to the south, Florida Turnpike to the east and Davie Road extension to the west
- Area bounded by SW 54th Street to the north, SW 57th Street to the south, SW 55th Avenue to the east and SW 58th Avenue to the west including the Stirling Lake community
- Area bounded by SW 57th Street to the north, Stirling Road to the south, Florida Turnpike to the east and SW 54th Terrace to the west including the Silver Lake community