Watermain erupts in Etobicoke, sending 10‑foot geyser into the air
Posted April 20, 2026 7:16 am.
Last Updated April 20, 2026 11:46 am.
An early‑morning watermain break sent a column of water shooting nearly 10 feet into the air in Etobicoke, flooding a major intersection and prompting a multi‑agency response before dawn Monday.
Toronto police were called around 4:13 a.m. to Neilson Drive and Dundas Street West after reports of a ruptured watermain and “lots of water on the roadway.” Officers urged drivers to use caution and find alternate routes as water quickly spread across the pavement.
Toronto Fire crews arrived minutes later to find a powerful geyser blasting upward from the break. Firefighters said the force of the rupture sent water high above the roadway before city crews managed to shut off the supply.
With temperatures hovering near freezing in parts of the city, firefighters salted the surrounding roads to prevent slick conditions. No injuries were reported.
“The break occurred in the existing watermain, which is being replaced as part of the City’s watermain replacement project. Emergency crews were dispatched immediately and City crews remain onsite,” said Jennifer Graham Harkness, chief engineer and executive director of engineering and construction services at the City of Toronto.
“Clean up and restoration is on track to be completed by end of day today,” she said.
The cause of the break has not yet been determined.
“No flooding of nearby properties has been reported. One property is experiencing a water service disruption which we are aiming to restore by the end of day today,” Harkness said.
Neilson Drive was initially reduced to one southbound lane for drivers amid the cleanup and repair work but the City said all lanes have since been reopened.
