Two water main breaks in Evans City snarled traffic on Main Street and officials issued a boil water advisory to residents until water pressure could be restored and the broken mains mended.

EVANS CITY — Two water main breaks in the borough have traffic snarled on Main Street and officials issuing a boil water advisory until the broken mains can be mended and water pressure restored.

The Evans City Sewer and Water Authority discovered the breaks Sunday on Main Street and Elizabeth Avenue and have been working to patch them throughout the day. A boil advisory was issued Monday morning after a possible drop in water pressure raised contamination concerns.

Martin Fabian, operations manager at the authority, said the rapid shifts in temperature and advanced age of the mains likely caused the breaks.

He said workers hoped to have the repairs finished by rush hour Monday, but that it can be difficult to precisely estimate a time.

The authority brought in contractors to help.

By noon, Fabian said the main under Elizabeth Avenue was “pretty much patched,” with the pipe under Main Street still in need of work.

Once the lines are repaired and the system is restored to working order, officials can then analyze samples of the water. The boil alert will continue for a minimum of 72 hours from repair completion, according to the authority.

Fabian said repairs had been somewhat delayed because the borough's official water line maps were destroyed in a 2004 flood, and crews only had unofficial maps and the recollections of longtime employees and residents as points of reference.

As work is ongoing, Fabian asked residents and commuters for patience and to consider other routes to avoid the congested work area.