Crews from the Baltimore City public works department have been working throughout the day to today repair a burst water main in Catonsville, as more than 500 customers struggle through the 100-degree weather without running water.

A 12-inch water main – one of the larger-sized pipes used in the city’s water system – on the 400 block of Maiden Chance Lane burst at approximately 6 a.m., said department spokesman Kurt Kocher. The cause of the burst is still unknown.

By 3:30 p.m. crews had tried unsuccessfully to stop the hole in the pipe using an incorrectly sized clamp. Officials would work throughout the evening, Kocher said, to plug up the hole using a different sized clamp or by replacing the section of pipe altogether.

Repairs on a 12-inch water main can usually take anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, Kocher said. The city hoped to have running water restored to the area by evening.