By Bailee Neyman

University of Maryland facilities teams continue to search for a water main break after responding to one near the bike racks between Easton and Oakland halls last week. The area and the staircase leading down to it have since been blocked off to allow excavation work to take place.

Students in the Denton community were last updated on Sept. 18, when they were told the water break had still not been discovered and work would resume on Sept. 21. 

Work initially started after water was observed at the surface near the bike rack between Easton and Oakland halls. Rain has slowed the process and, as of Wednesday, crews have not determined the precise location of the leak. There is currently no estimate as to when repairs will be finished.

The construction surprised students in the community.

“I was a little bit confused. It came out of nowhere,” freshman government and politics major Chris Landa said.

Landa is hesitant about the amount of communication residents have currently received.

“It was kind of the bare minimum,” he said. “It was just, ‘We’ll be working on it from this time. Don’t walk through there.’”

Facilities teams also warned Easton Hall residents that water may be temporarily shut off once the break is discovered. According to Landa, upper floors have already experienced a two hour outage on Sept. 18; it is not clear if this was a separate issue.

Once the leak is discovered, Residential Facilities will be able to officially determine if the repair will require a water outage. If an outage is required, all affected students will be emailed the expected timing and duration of the outage. If necessary, students may also gain temporary access to nearby buildings for restrooms and showers.

While the closed off area is small, it has caused some students to reroute. Freshman cell biology and genetics major Ella Eng shared her experience.

 “I typically try to cut down that little sidewalk area that they closed off, and … the construction just causes me to have to take a little bit of a bigger detour,” she said.

She continued, “I don’t run into it everyday, but it is still a little annoying. And it kind of makes me wonder if it’s a big issue.”

In a statement to Stories Beneath the Shell, Residential Facilities said they will continue to monitor the water main break. 

“After water was observed at the surface, Facilities Management crews began investigating and continue to excavate at the site to locate the leak,” the statement read.  “Rain has slowed their progress and the precise location has not yet been identified. As a result, we do not have an estimated completion time for the repairs.”

Students who need additional support during the water main break can contact their 24 hour service desk or their Resident Assistant, the statement said.

Featured Image: A work site set up at the location of a water main break in the Denton Community on September 22, 2026. Photo by Paige Trendell.