AUBURN — A tricky crack in the main pipe feeding Lewiston’s water supply closed Turner Street by Central Maine Community College on Thursday.

Crews from the Lewiston Water District closed Auburn’s Turner Street between Colby Street and Joline Drive on Thursday morning to repair a break in the 24-inch main. The pipe is the main conduit between Lake Auburn, the water supply for both Lewiston and Auburn, and the city of Lewiston.

Lewiston Public Works Director Dave Jones said the problem was a longitudinal crack in the pipe. “Most breaks in a pipe this size are circular, and we can repair them by putting a collar around the break,” Jones said. “Since this was a long longitudinal crack, we have to go in and cut out the bad portion and replace it.”

Crews spent the morning digging out the pipe and locating the leak. They were scheduled to shut the pipe about 3 p.m. Thursday. Deputy Public Works Director Kevin Gagne said the work could take 10 to 12 hours to complete. The road should be reopened early Friday morning.

Auburn Water District Engineer Sid Hazelton said the leak was discovered Wednesday when the district got reports of water bubbling out of the pavement.

“We have a main in that area, too, and we didn’t know if it was in our main or theirs,” Hazelton said.

Water service to Lewiston was not affected Thursday, Gagne said. The main is Lewiston’s biggest supply line from the lake, but not the only one.

“All of our reservoirs and tanks were topped off and full, so we could go several days with no problem,” Gagne said.

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