Water main breaks can be disruptive and confusing for just about anyone. While city officials clearly lay out the rules for everyday citizens (don’t drink from the tap, boil water to sterilize it, use hand sanitizer, etc.), the lines can get a little blurry for restaurateurs and business owners in the food industry.
Can businesses operate as usual? Is it all right to serve customers if necessary precautions have been taken? The answers to these questions vary from city to city.
But in Waterbury, Conn., the answer is a hard no.
What happened in Waterbury?
On Dec. 12, 2025, a 36-inch water transmission line burst, leaving roughly 60% of Waterbury residents without water due to contamination risks for E. Coli and other bacteria in the city’s water supply, according to local news sources. As a result, city officials had no choice but to close schools and issue a boil-water advisory for residents until further notice.
While they couldn’t drink water directly from the tap, Waterbury citizens could safely consume bottled water and tap water that had been boiled for at least two minutes. After this notice was issued, approximately 800 food establishments continued operating with food safety guardrails in place.
City officials insisted that necessary precautions had not been taken and cited 34 restaurants, vowing to take a closer look at how they prepare food during their next food safety inspection.
“There may be other aspects of food preparation that they don’t understand, that they need education for,” Aisling McGuckin, Waterbury’s health director, shared with Eyewitness News 3.
Why did these establishments stay open?
Waterbury’s closure rules weren’t clear to hundreds of food establishments across the city. According to a report from Eyewitness News 3, several restaurants tried to remain open using workaround methods. These include working with bottled or boiled water and replacing regular hand soap with hand sanitizer.
Even more concerning, some of these establishments weren’t aware of the closure order in the first place. One restaurant owner continued to serve people, completely oblivious until health officials showed up at his restaurant to shut him down. Per the Eyewitness News 3 Report, he had to tell customers to leave his restaurant in the middle of their meal.
McGuckin noted how the water main break was as much of a learning experience for business owners as it was for food safety officials. Perhaps, instead of a broad water notice going out to all Waterbury residents, there should be stronger guidelines for business owners.
The risks of continuing business operations
The confusion in Waterbury exposed business owners to risks that extended far beyond the water main break.
In addition to the health concerns of staying open during a water crisis, there are several significant legal and financial risks that business owners face when safety protocols aren’t properly communicated.
- Liability: The restaurant owner will be held responsible if one of their customers falls ill, with no protection from the city or municipality.
- Insurance complications: If a restaurant continues to serve customers during a water break, insurance companies may deny claims for willful violation of health codes.
- Reputational costs: Continuing to serve customers in the middle of a health crisis may raise eyebrows around the city, keeping a business from expanding and getting other sources of revenue. Plus, cited restaurants face more scrutiny during health inspections (like those in Waterbury), which may create operational complications.
To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial for cities and utilities to have an emergency plan in place for business owners during a water main break–and to communicate that plan regularly to stay ahead of problems.
Establishing clear emergency protocols
It’s safer and easier for food establishments to close their doors when a water main breaks. This is a sure way to prevent liability, insurance complications, and additional reputational costs.
Like McGuckin implied, it would be effective for city and utility officials to make a framework for business owners and restaurateurs to follow to prevent another Waterbury incident from happening.
Here’s a simple checklist that utilities can offer food establishments:
- Cease operations immediately. Put “closed” signs at every door and notify customers of the closure ASAP.
- Contact the local health department. Document all communication to show these interactions took place.
- Keep employees informed. Communicate pay and schedule changes to all workers, providing updated closure timelines as more information becomes available.
- Flush all water lines before reopening. Before resuming business operations, flush pipes for the amount of time recommended by the water authority.
- Sanitize the establishment. Clean all food contact surfaces and get rid of any ice made during the water main break.
- Request another inspection. Reach out to the city to conduct another inspection after business resumes, making sure to note that all necessary precautions have been taken.
While it’s the safest, most responsible choice for restaurateurs to close during a water crisis, some cities do permit establishments to remain open if they take appropriate safety precautions.
It’s important for city and utility officials to determine where they stand on health safety protocols when a water main break happens. Whether they’re firm on shutting restaurants down completely or remaining open with strict sanitation guidelines in place, it’s crucial to communicate that to restaurateurs and business owners.
By establishing water safety protocols ahead of time, cities can protect their citizens and businesses from the confusion that plagued Waterbury, Conn., in December.
