Boston Water Main Break Causes City-Wide Beverage Hysteria

If you think you're having a rough Monday morning, just be glad you don't live in Boston: A water main break has left nearly two million people without drinking water until at least Wednesday. Not only is bottled water reportedly being sold at inflated prices around town, but coffee has become a scarce and precious commodity.

A cafe owner in nearby Cambridge (where the water is fine to drink) put up a sign notifying customers as such, and reported the second busiest Sunday in the restaurant's history, describing the iced coffee as "liquid gold.". An unnamed employee of a large coffee company writes into the Awl:

A lot of the Dunkin' Donuts shops in the affected towns are just closed. Most Starbucks are open but only serving food, bottled drinks, and cold milk. And [instant coffee base] Via. For the most part people were great about it, and many of them were satisfied when we told them Cambridge is unaffected.

And it gets better: Without fresh water to drink, many of the city's university students have turned to some of the only safe liquids around to drink: soda and beer. City officials believe that the water will be safe to drink again on Wednesday, at which point residents will be able to consume their beverages of choice.

· Boston-Area Water Main Break Makes Monday Even Grosser [The Awl]
· Pipe holding; Drinking Water Expected within 48 Hours [Boston Globe via the Awl]
· City Becomes an Oasis for those in Search of Untainted Taps [Boston Herald]
· Coakley to Review Water Price Gouging Allegations [Boston Herald]
[Photo: Boston Herald]