Updated at 5:59 p.m.
A water line break due to construction at the Portland International Airport on Wednesday left the entire terminal without running water for about three hours, forcing all of its bathrooms to temporarily close.
The line break occurred around 2:45 p.m. on the south side of the parking garages, causing the airport’s 110 bathrooms and all of its drinking fountains to be out of order, as well as limiting the services of several restaurants. The break was repaired around 5:30 p.m., and water was working again by 6 p.m., according to Kama Simonds, a Port of Portland spokeswoman.
She said earlier that running water was estimated to return by 10 p.m.
There were no apparent impacts to flights. The airport was planning to bring in 60 port-a-potties for travelers and staff but will now send them back, Simonds said. She also said bottled water was given to travelers and staff, pre-prepared food at businesses was still being sold, and portable hand-washing stations were placed at areas around the airport.
The airport serves an average of 53,000 people a day. Simonds said the airport used social media, electronic road signs on the way to the terminal and other methods to inform people of the water break and lack of working bathrooms.
-- Everton Bailey Jr.
ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey