In late July, serious water main failures cut off water service for days to thousands of residents and businesses in Waterbury. The first July water main failure was not unexpected, but then a second water main failed. The water failure came months after a more serious water main break happened on Thomaston Avenue in December, during a bitter cold snap. They include road salt accidentally seeping through pavement and corroding water pipes, as well as decades of deferred maintenance. Some of the water pipes were installed in the early 1900s, while others were placed in the '70s and '80s.