Sinkhole Closes Busy Water Street in Saco, Maine

Crews work to assess and repair damage to sewer line beneath the road.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 12:53pm

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A small sinkhole has opened up on Water Street in downtown Saco, Maine, forcing the closure of the busy thoroughfare. Public works crews are investigating the issue and working to make repairs to the underlying brick sewer main that appears to be the cause of the sinkhole. While utilities in the area are not affected, the road closure is causing disruptions for local traffic.

Why it matters

Sinkholes can pose serious safety risks and lead to significant infrastructure damage if not addressed promptly. This incident on a major downtown street in Saco highlights the importance of maintaining aging sewer and water systems to prevent such issues from occurring.

The details

The sinkhole is located between Main Street and Elm Street on Water Street. Public works crews were on the scene on Thursday morning assessing the situation and preparing to make repairs to both the road and the underlying brick sewer main that appears to be the cause of the sinkhole. It is unclear how long the repair work will take.

  • The sinkhole was first reported on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The players

Saco Public Works

The municipal department responsible for maintaining Saco's infrastructure, including roads and sewer systems.

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What’s next

Once the extent of the damage is fully assessed, Saco public works crews will work to repair the sewer line and the road surface above it. The street is expected to remain closed until the repairs are completed.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the importance of proactive infrastructure maintenance to prevent costly and disruptive issues like sinkholes from occurring on busy city streets. Saco's public works department will need to closely monitor the situation and work quickly to restore normal traffic flow.