A water main break flooded South Whiting Street in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday morning, causing traffic delays as the busy street was shut down. The break of the 12-inch main happened around 4:30 a.m. and sent water shooting into the air and gushing onto the street for hours.

STREET CLOSURE ALERT:: New video of water main break on S. Whiting St, which is closed from Stevenson Ave. to the front of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/H3wghbpkf2

— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) March 3, 2021

South Whiting Street was closed from Stevenson Avenue to the front of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, but has since reopened to local traffic. Virginia American Water told WTOP that the problem was determined to be a broken valve that’s now been repaired. The company said it is slowly restoring water service to affected customers and expects to have it fully restored by around noon. In an earlier alert, Virginia American Water noted that residents in the area may still experience discolored water after service is restored. They recommend running the cold water taps at their lowest level for three to five minutes until the water becomes clear.