It’s only 81 years old: At 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 4, calls began coming into Rockford Public Works Department that water pressure was going down or gone in the Central Zone (near west Rockford), including wards 3, 5, 7, 9 and 13. “Aldermen were calling in,” Public Works Director Tim Hanson said. “The 16-inch water main at Tay and Selden Street is one of the largest and 81 years old. We saw a dip in the system, and went looking. A call from Channel 17 located it at about 6:15 p.m. We began turning off valves and isolated it in a two-block area. The rest of the Central Zone had water pressure back in about an hour. We had it repaired a little after noon the next day.” As the water erupted 2 to 3 feet in height, Hanson said the streets still have barricades because the excavation and street area undermined have to dry out and be plugged. He also said it is very normal for water mains to break several times each year as the seasons change. (Photo by Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Greg Cassaro)