Detroit city crews are working to clean up Canfield Street after a water main break over the weekend.
Crews replaced the pipe and most of the water restored to the surrounding community, but neighbors now worry about how crews will repair the cobblestone street.
“We’ve lived here since 1979 and we actually moved in the year they restored the street,” said Diane Stiller.
Stiller watched on Saturday as her historic neighborhood filled with water.
“It was like white water rafting down on Canfield,” she said.
Detroit Water and Sewage Department Director Gary Brown said that right now they are working to backfill the hole.
“We’re gonna take a couple of days and do some testing on the water to make sure the new pipe is good and clean, and it’s all flushed out before we put it in service,” Brown said.
Once completed, he said they would have to begin the delicate and pricey task of finding cobblestone to replace what was destroyed and then make sure the road is structurally sound.
The Great Lakes Water Authority and Detroit will have to foot the bill.
“Yeah, I sympathize with them,” Brown said. “I’ve lived in Detroit all my life, and I too live in a historical area of the city, and we’re very particular about maintaining the historical perspective of the neighborhood. They can rest assured they are going to be made whole.”
Brown said construction will be done in approximately a week.
