Columbus, IN –

Update: 01.30.2026 -9:00 pm

Columbus City Utilities (CCU) has announced that water services have been restored following a water main break that occurred late hours of Thursday at the intersection of 7^th and Franklin Streets.

Franklin Street at the intersection of 7^th and Franklin will be open Saturday morning for traffic, but 7^th Street between Washington and Franklin will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

The following addresses will be under a Boil Water Advisory through Monday morning:

• 703 Washington
• 646 Franklin
• 411, 415, 417, 419, 421 7th Street
• 625, 627, 629, 637, 639, 641, 643, 645 Washington

Residents are advised to boil water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, and washing food. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least 3 minutes and allowed to cool before use. Water can safely be used for bathing, handwashing, and laundry.

Departments assisting in the incident were the Columbus Engineering Department, Community Development, Bartholomew County Emergency Management, and Bartholomew County 911.

Original Story: 01.30.2026 – 4:30 pm

On Thursday, January 29th, around 11:30 PM, emergency ervices notified Columbus City Utilities (CCU) about a water leak near the intersection of 7th and Franklin Streets. Upon arrival, CCU crews discovered a water main break in the vicinity. The team worked diligently through the early hours to locate and shut off valves in an attempt to isolate and slow the leak while determining its exact location. This approach proved effective, although water continued to accumulate in the area. The Columbus Police Department assisted with traffic management during the incident.
To aid CCU and the Department of Public Works, contractors from Dave O’Mara, Inc. and Bowen were called in to excavate through the frozen street and ground to install an insertion valve to halt the water flow. Meanwhile, the Columbus Fire Department was summoned to assist with pumping the accumulating water out of the affected area.
By approximately 3:00 PM on Friday, January 30th, the crews successfully installed the valve and shut off the water supply. The following locations may experience water outages:
• 703 Washington
• 646 Franklin
• 411, 415, 417, 419, 421 7th Street
• 625, 627, 629, 637, 639, 641, 643, 645 Washington
Once water service is restored, those affected will be under a boil water advisory for 48 hours. At the time of this release, CCU contractors were onsite working to repair the broken main. Please note that 7th Street from Washington Street to Franklin Street, including the intersection of 7th and Franklin Streets, will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
During the incident, the city became aware of 19 women and 6 children who were displaced due to the outage. City administration, along with the United Way of Bartholomew County and ColumBUS Transit, coordinated efforts to relocate all displaced individuals to a safe location until they can return to their homes. Other Departments assisting in the incident were the Columbus Engineering Department, Community Development, Bartholomew County Emergency Management, and Bartholomew County 911.