A major water main break in St. John’s Monday morning has been repaired but it’s a tough reminder of how the city’s old infrastructure doesn’t stop aging during a pandemic, says Mayor Danny Breen.

The break early Monday sent torrents of water from King’s Road near Rawlins Cross down to the waterfront, pushing gravel and parts of pavement along with it.

Breen says the incident highlights the importance of weighing new projects against the cost of maintaining essential things that the city has no choice but to fix when they break.

He says the pandemic and Snowmageddon did shine a light on the delicate balance of maintaining infrastructure while recognizing the financial hit of those two events this year.

Breen says the city has received no reports of damage to homes or businesses, despite the waves or water that the break unleashed.