South End bridal shop flooded after Harrison Avenue main broke in 2020 sues BWSC for damages

The owner of a high-end Harrison Avenue bridal shop charges the Boston Water and Sewer Commission knew its old 30-inch main under Harrison Avenue could rupture at any moment and that it should have done something before it let go on April 14, 2020, flooding the street, stores, parking lots and basements with 6.5 million gallons of water, which surged out of the exploded pipe at a rate of 55,000 gallons a minute.

In a lawsuit filed yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court, Candace Wu Couture, 460 Harrison Ave., is seeking the $344,100 in damages it says it suffered to its inventory, which includes dresses made with "Swarovski crystal, intricate beading, and handmade lace." Wu is also seeking damages and attorneys' fees.

Like an insurance company also suing over the impromptu lake, which pointed to alleged overpressurization of the main, Wu chargs the commission allowed "an unusually high volume of water to enter the Water Main" that night and than dallied for some three hours before stopping the flow after the main let go.

Wu also points to BWSC's capital improvement plans, which she claims stated in 2019 that the main that burst was identified as the commission's top priority for main replacement, in part because the main had reached the end of its useful life after more than 100 years - but that the work was not due to start until April, 2021.

As a result of the failure of defendant BWSC to secure its premises or maintain it in a safe and satisfactory condition, on or about April 14, 2020, due to the actions and inactions of BWSC, its agents, servants or employees, a 30-inch diameter, cement-lined iron water main failed at 500 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02118, causing a flood to occur at Plaintiff's shop, and the Plaintiff sustained water and other damages to its inventory and property.

Complete complaint (1.2M PDF).