STAUNTON - A water main that helps feed water to the north part of Staunton ruptured Friday morning, leaving hundreds of residents with little or no water pressure while city crews repaired the damage all day and into the night.

The underground water main broke shortly before 10 a.m., causing the driveway of a home in the 600 block of Cherry Hill Drive to buckle.

Staunton Public Works Director Tom Sliwoski said the home with the damaged driveway also suffered garage water damage and a neighboring home had its basement damaged.

People living in the two homes spent the night in a motel paid for by the city's insurance.

"We've been at it since 10 a.m.,'' Sliwoski said.

There was no immediate explanation for what caused the break, Sliwoski said.

He said the line is about 40 years old and there have been documented problems with pipes from that era because of issues with founderies.

A new section of pipe and clamps were brought in as workers labored into darkness Friday night to repair the damage and restore water.

"We are starting to go around and slowly open valves and repressurize the system,'' said Sliwoski.

All service was to be restored by 11 p.m. or midnight, he said.

Residents of Cherry Hill Drive and several other Staunton neighborhoods were affected, including College Park,
Baldwin Acres and the North Augusta Street and Woodleigh Drive areas.

"Some people have low pressure, some minimal pressure and some have no pressure,'' Sliwoski said.

Joe Jarrells, who lives in the 700 block of Cherry Hill Drive, was completely without water Friday night.

"There is nothing we can do,'' Jarrells said. "We hope it is fixed in a timely manner."

Emma Hevener and her husband live next door to one of the families suffering the most damage. She said her husband noticed water in the backyard of the neighbor after taking a morning walk.

"We had a little trickle earlier, but there's nothing now,'' Hevener said.