A water main repair that knocked out water service to Birkdale Village Thursday afternoon was repaired shortly before 11 p.m.
The water main break left the popular Birkdale Village shopping center without water Thursday afternoon and for much of the evening.
The incident was reported by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department around 3 p.m., though businesses in the area say the water disruption began around 1 p.m.
The water main break was reported at the intersection of Townley Road and Birkdale Commons Parkway.
Ron Herbert owns Red Rocks café in Birkdale Village.
He says yesterday's water fiasco hurt his bottom line and cost him an estimated $10,000 in business.
The city says a water main valve deteriorated and broke off.
The result was a water leak that left businesses and homes in the area without running water for nearly 10 hours.
"I just think the maintenance, like you do anything whether it's your teeth or whatever your doing, it's just making sure you have the right maintenance program so you can prevent things like that," said Ron Herbert.
The city says the piping was installed when the shopping complex went under construction ten years ago.
A program is in place to maintain the pipes, but city officials say it's too soon to say if the water main leak could've been prevented.
A city spokesperson says the water main break is still under investigation.
It could be several weeks before the city decides whether businesses will be compensated for lost income.
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