City officials were in the process Monday afternoon of restoring water service to residents living in the area around Holly Street who were affected by a broken 12-inch waterline.

“We still have some work to do but we are in the process of getting water back to the residents,” Dane Lovell, interim public works director, said about 2:20 p.m. Monday.

Lovell said city water department crews at the site of the break behind the House of Peace Worship Church International on Holly Street installed a “wrap,” or patch, around the line, which is estimated to be 50-60 years old.

He said the wrap is a stainless steel band made to repair the break in the pipe, which he said “snapped like a pencil.”

“We’ve got it to where the water treatment plant (on Haning Road) is back up to full capacity, tanks are full, pressure is good; no boil water notice,” he said. “We had to get an extra pump in (to remove water).”

City officials and water department workers learned of the break late Sunday afternoon after receiving calls from across the city about low water pressure.

Ward 1 Alderman Michael Mayfield did not know how many people were affected by the break, adding, “We had almost the center part of the city. My first call came from somebody on Main Street. It went from Main Street south, and I think that people had low pressure or were out altogether. The very south end had low pressure.

“I’m very thankful those guys (the water department) came out and worked so quickly because that could been much worse.”

Sometimes, Mayfield said, waterline leaks are difficult to find.

“Thank God this one showed itself because there was water across Holly Street and along the church,” he said. “It was a pretty good break.”