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HANOVER TWP. — A broken water main under West Saint Mary’s Road has been repaired, but the road around it will remain closed until Monday morning, Pennsylvania American Water officials said Friday afternoon.

A 10-inch water main ruptured sometime before 3 a.m. at the bottom of Malinowski’s Hill just before the intersection with Sans Souci Parkway. Water buckled the road in several spots and caused a hole about six feet deep, exposing original brick pavers.

West Saint Marys Road from the Sans Souci Parkway to the top of Malinowski’s Hill remains closed while the pavement is repaired.

Crews from Pennsylvania American Water Company were on scene earlier Friday morning.

By late afternoon repairs to the main were completed and crews worked on restoring service to customers.

Water continued to flow underground, emerging in front of the home of Joe Petix.

Petix said he believes an increase in truck traffic on the narrow Malinowski’s Hill is to blame for the rupture. He said trucks when descending the hill often speed and force to apply their brakes causing a heavy vibration.

“This ground shakes when these trucks come flying down the hill and the road curves and when they hit their brakes hard, you can feel the vibration,” Petix said.

Petix said container trucks frequently use the narrow Malinowski’s Hill, a road about 12 feet wide nestled between an embankment and a deteriorating concrete wall, which built in the 1930s.

About 20 customers were without water due to the rupture.

A 10-inch water main ruptured early Friday morning resulting in the closure of West Saint Marys Road in Hanover Township.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Water-Main-break-3.jpg.optimal.jpgA 10-inch water main ruptured early Friday morning resulting in the closure of West Saint Marys Road in Hanover Township.

By Ed Lewis

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