

Commuters line Farragut Square on Tuesday morning while waiting to board a shuttle bus to closed Metro stations. (Tim Richardson/The Washington Post)

The latest: Crews work to fix 12-inch water main break in downtown D.C. that snarled commute

Related: Alternate routes on Metro because of delays

Related: Rider reaction to Metro’s Tuesday morning meltdown

Updated at 9:42 a.m.

Metro said it has resumed normal operations on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines after shutting down service between L’Enfant Plaza and McPherson Square stops because of a water main break that caused flooding in a station. But DC Water officials warn that it will take potentially 12 hours for crews to fix the problem. A 12-inch water main that is 61-years-old broke in the early morning at 12th and F streets NW in downtown D.C.

DC Water officials issued an apology on Twitter, saying it was sorry for the “crazy commute.”

We apologize for the crazy commute. We recognize the gravity of the situation and will repair as quickly and as safely as possible. — DC Water (@dcwater) December 16, 2014

D.C.’s Department of Transportation said just before 10 a.m. in a tweet that 12th Street NW between E and F streets remained closed. It was not immediately clear when the roadway would reopen, as water crews worked to fix the break.

ALERT: 12th Street NW between E & F remains closed at this time. — DDOT DC (@DDOTDC) December 16, 2014

Metro riders were warned that residual delays could continue into the morning.

DC Water officials said they are looking into what caused the water main break.

Pamela Mooring, a spokeswoman for the water agency, said crews were not immediately able to figure out the cause but would get to that as they work to repair the area. She said it is not uncommon at this time of year for there to be such breaks when temperatures fluctuate.



Crews work in the area where a 12-inch water main break was reported at 12th and F streets NW in downtown D.C. on Tuesday. (Paul Duggan/The Washington Post)

Crews work in the area where a water main was reported at 12th and F streets NW in downtown D.C. on Tuesday

Updated at 9:23 a.m.

DC Water officials said Metro was likely able to restore its service faster than expected because of a relatively simple thing — Water officials turned off the water in the area of 12th and F streets NW in downtown DC after a break in a pipe there caused water to flood into a Metro stop.



Water is seen after receding below the tracks Tuesday morning at the Federal Triangle station. (Courtesy WMATA)

The tracks at the Metro Center stop had water on them, causing the transit agency to suspend service between L’Enfant Plaza and McPherson Square stops on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. Metro had warned riders that they could see major delays. Service was restored on the three lines shortly before 9 a.m.

Pamela Mooring, a spokeswoman with DC Water said just after 9 a.m. that they shut down the water in that area around 5:45 a.m. after getting a report of a water main break. Crews are now on the scene and still working to repair the 12-inch water main break in the 1950s era pipe.

But for now turning off the water, she said, “solves some of the issues.”

“The break is still there,” she said. But “we turned off the water.”

“That’s what helped them,” Mooring said, referring to Metro’s ability to get trains in that area back to normal service. Metro had said it had its pumps working to get the water out of its tracks. It had warned riders to avoid the system and expected major delays for riders.

Two office buildings in that area are without water, although Mooring did not know the exact addresses of the affected buildings.

On Metro, the transit agency warned riders in a Twitter message just after 9 a.m. that while normal service on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines was restored, there still could be “residual delays.”

Orange/Silver/Blue line passengers expect residual delays as trains resume normal schedule & spacing. All trains are moving. 8:45a #wmata — Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) December 16, 2014

Updated at 8:45 a.m.

Metro said in an e-mail alert at 8:41 a.m. that it is “in the process” of restoring service on the Blue, Silver and Orange lines between L’Enfant Plaza and Farragut West stops. It warned however that riders should expect residual delays in both directions.

An earlier shutdown was caused by a 12-inch water main break at 12th and F streets NW in downtown D.C. that caused water to flood tracks at the Metro Center stop. Metro had suspended service on three of its rail lines and warned riders of major delays.

Metro spokesman Dan Stesssel said around 8:45 a.m. that “water receded faster than we expected.” He said track inspections of the affected area were done and two test trains “ran through the area to make sure that everything was okay.”

He also said the first passenger trains are moving through downtown now.

Updated at 8:10 a.m.

It is not known how long the Metro rail service will be interrupted. Riders should expect delays and crowded stations. Metro has advised that riders avoid the rail system. Earlier in the morning, Metro rail service was suspended on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines between Farragut West and L’Enfant Plaza stops.

The water service in that area of 12th and F is shut off, according to DC Water officials. Two office buildings don’t have water service. At 8 a.m., officials said they did not have the exact addresses of which buildings were without water.

Huge crowds trying to get on shuttle buses at Farragut Square. A lot of frustrated and confused Metro riders this a.m pic.twitter.com/u4c20KEklU — John Gonzalez (@ABC7John) December 16, 2014

Updated at 7:38 a.m.

Authorities now say it will likely take up to 12 hours Tuesday to fix a water main break at 12th and F streets NW that has caused major disruptions on three of Metro’s rail lines. DC Water said it has 12th Street NW closed between E and F streets as crews work in the area. It is not immediately known what caused the water main break and it is unknown when Metro will be able to resume service on three of its lines — the Blue, Orange and Silver.

Metro said tens of thousands of riders are going to face “a serious disruption” in their morning commute because of the water main break. Water coming into its Metro Center stop forced the transit system to suspend service on part of its busiest lines.

The agency suspended service just before 6 a.m. on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines between the Farragut West and L’Enfant Plaza stops. The rupture has put water on the rail tracks at the Metro Center stop.

Remember your worst commute ever? Well, today may "top" it. Please be patient with yourself and others today. #wmata #dcwater — Council of DC (@councilofdc) December 16, 2014

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said water “came down and into Metro Center” stop, causing the water level to go “above the height of the rail” line so trains can not run. The water came into the lowest part of the station at Metro Center, he said. The tracks sit about 8 inches from the ground floor, he said, and water is above that point — although he said he did not immediately know how many feet of water is standing in the station.

The water main in that area has been shut off. In a Twitter message, DC Water officials wrote just after 7 a.m., “We’ll work as fast as we can to make repairs.”

Water main break @ 12th & F St NW. 12th St closed and Blue/Orange/Silver line service affected. We’ll work as fast as we can to make repairs — DC Water (@dcwater) December 16, 2014

#wmata suspended cause of this @nbcwashington: Photo of water main break on 12th and F St. http://t.co/Pnhnt1Au38 pic.twitter.com/msPfnR3eay — Rob R (@NosterTunapar) December 16, 2014

The water main break is also likely to create major gridlock on the streets of downtown D.C. in Tuesday morning’s commute. DC Water closed 12th Street NW between E and F streets because of the water main break.

On Metro, trains Tuesday morning are coming from the east on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines and turning around at L’Enfant Plaza. Trains are coming from the west and turning back at Farragut West, according to Metro officials.

Metro officials said they plan to run shuttle service buses between the closed stations, but warned riders that the timing of the incident is going to cause major headaches for morning commuters. They said “tens of thousands of riders” will be impacted.

“Even if you don’t travel through this area,” Stessel said. “You will feel the effects of these delays. This is the morning to seek alternate travel options.”

“We’re going to see major congestion from one end of these lines to the other and crowding at stations,” he said.

The major problem is that the lines impacted — the Blue and Orange lines — are among the busiest in the system. Roughly 750,000 ridership trips are taken on the Metro rail system during an average weekday.

“There is no way to replicate the capacity and when you consider that it is rush hour and we have a water main break in the mix that’s why you see us out there saying consider other options,” Stessel said. He said the water officials have turned off water in that area near Metro Center.

He said there are 58 pumping stations in the Metro system — and “a few” at Metro Center — and that they are “on full power right now.”

“We’re working to get the water level down,” he said. But he warned that it could take awhile for operations to return to normal because even once the water is out of the station, the tracks have to be inspected and that will determine when trains can run again in the impacted areas.

Commuters reacted on social media to the Metro delays and traffic problems —

I'm especially thankful for my 10-min bike commute on days like today. #wmata — Steven Schwark (@stevenschwark) December 16, 2014

Today is the day to either put on your walking shoes or work from home. 8 inches of standing water at Metro Center. That sucks. #wmata — JP (@jennyinDC) December 16, 2014

Updated at 6:15 a.m.

Metro warned that riders should expect delays and crowding Tuesday morning as it has suspended service on three of its lines — the Silver, Orange and Blue. There is a water main break at 12th and F streets NW at Metro Center.

The transit agency said it has suspended service between the Farragut West and L’Enfant Plaza stations. It is not immediately clear how long the delays would last and Metro warned riders to avoid using the system.

Metro said it will run shuttle buses between Farragut West and L’Enfant Plaza stops.

Original post at 5:58 a.m.

Metro said a water main break at the Metro Center stop Tuesday morning has suspended service on the Silver, Orange and Blue lines.

All rail service, the transit agency said, is suspended between the Farragut West and L’Enfant Plaza stations. Metro warned that riders should find other options and not take the rail system.

Blue/Orange/Silver:Water main break at Metro Center. All BL/OR/SV train service SUSPENDED btw Farragut West & Metro Center. Major delays. — Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) December 16, 2014

Staff writer Peter Hermann contributed to this report.