Old iron service pipe to blame for Saugus water break along Route 1

SAUGUS – The major water break that happened this past weekend in Saugus on Route 1 was due to an old iron service line, according to Department of Public Works Superintendent Joseph Attubato.It was rumored before finding the source of the problem that it was a major water line that broke.?It was an old iron service that had been leaking for many years,” said Attubato. “The water eroded the pipe and made a hole in it.”The break happened in the highway in the northbound lane, but the water eventually made its way into the Kowloon Restaurant parking lot, causing a mess.Workers were immediately on the scene to fix the problem but it took some time to find where the water was coming from given the nature of the problem, he said.?It was a laborious process to figure out where the water was coming from,” said Attubato.Part of the problem was that there were no records on this iron service, he said.However, while it took some time to clean the mess, the problem was eventually solved. “The workers did a damn good job cleaning it up,” said Attubato. “The water was going all over the place.”Water breaks are a common problem in Saugus and are known to happen during the winter months. However, Attubato says that it is becoming a more year-round problem.?We have already had three breaks that have happened this year,” said Attubato. “One in January, one in either February or March and the one that just happened now. With Route 1, it can happen at any time.”Attubato believes to eventually solve this problem the city needs to replace the water pipes and sewer infrastructure.?There have been plans to replace them but nothing has been finalized,” said Attubato.