Several buildings have reopened after being closed due to a water main that broke on the Binghamton University campus at around 7 a.m. Saturday.

The break significantly damaged Science III, Science IV and the Science Library. The Science Library has since reopened, and Science III is open on a limited basis. Science IV remains closed as of Monday.

Changes in course locations and other updates on the situation will be posted at www.binghamton.edu/news/index.html.

According to Wayne Schneider, assistant director of operations for physical facilities at BU, the extent of the damage is unclear.

‘The damage is significant but we really won’t know to what extent until we can enter the buildings,’ Schneider said Saturday. ‘We are evaluating right now how long it will take us to get the buildings back up and operational and make them safe for students and workers to enter.’

According to BU spokesman Ryan Yarosh, the University was alerted about the main break Saturday morning when water started leaking outside of the science buildings, eventually entering and flooding the basements. The University notified the student body and faculty of the situation just after 7 a.m. through the Rave Alert emergency warning system. Further Rave Alert messages, as well as e-mail and Web updates, were posted throughout the day.

The break was fixed by noon that same day with the help of the Broome County Emergency Service, the Vestal Fire Department, the Town of Binghamton Fire Department, the Broome County Health Department and the Vestal Water Department.

‘As of right now, water has been restored to the campus, and the water is safe for drinking,’ Yarosh said.

Power outages occurred in Lecture Hall, the residential buildings in Hinman College, Hinman Dining Hall, Library Tower, Nelson A. Rockefeller Center, the Science Library, and Science I, II, III, IV and V. Power to open buildings has since been restored.

According to Schneider, when the basements of the science buildings were flooded, the power had to be turned off to ensure the protection of the workers from electrical hazards.

He said the break occurred on an 8-inch water main on the dock of Science III.

‘There are three one-million-gallon tanks that feed all of the buildings on campus,’ Schneider said. ‘The main that burst is part of a loop that feeds all of the science buildings. When it burst, water came to the surface and entered the science buildings, flooding them.’

According to Schneider, the break that caused the flood was repaired using two valves, and the power was turned back on in most buildings.

Though the cause of the water main break has yet to be determined, Schneider’s best guess is that it broke due to fatigue.

‘There was a linear break on the length of the pipe, probably caused by stress,’ he said.