Arlington Heights businesses reopen after two water main breaks

Arlington Heights officials remain unsure why two water mains broke Tuesday night on Dundee Road, forcing the closure of at least four businesses.

Public works crews stayed awake to repair the lines and switched on the water at 3:30 a.m. today. They continue work on the cleanup, as mud and dirt covered the parking lots of Le Titi de Paris restaurant, Arlington Ford and Mario Tricoci salon on the 800-1000 blocks of Dundee Road.

Arlington Heights Director of Public Works Scott Shirley said the mains that broke were about 35 years old. While temperatures may have been factor in the breaks, there's no way of confirming what caused them. The two mains were about five feet from each other and were 12 inches in diameter.

"The science of water main breaks is something that's not very well understood," Shirley added.

The village sees about 110 water main breaks per year, Shirley said. Crews waited until 8 p.m. Tuesday to switch the water off to the area during repairs, wanting to reduce the effects on businesses so owners could keep their doors open.

Restaurants, including Le Titi de Paris, were open today for lunch.