One of the most dramatic moments for Waterbury’s aging drinking water system came when water from a pipe break was so forceful that it launched large rocks into the air, damaging a garage a hundred feet away when they came down.Other frequent near-tragic events led to the fast-tracking of an improvement program. In September 2025, a break in a transmission line cut water along a 10-mile stretch of pipe to nearly half of the city, causing 24 schools to close, flooding homes and businesses, and triggering a boil-water order. The city of Waterbury Water Department had to use a payloader’s
