The city had another bad break.

A water line burst last week on Washington Street near the Harborside Inn, as a 6-inch asbestos concrete water line failed, sending water bubbling up to the surface, according to the city of Port Townsend.

The break occurred Monday, Jan. 16, not long after the Dec. 27 rupture of a sewer main that caused sinkholes to form on Water Street.

The most recent water line leak occurred in the late morning, with city crews repairing the line by 1 a.m. the next day.

“There have been quite a few breaks in that pipe over the years … we believe it is due to settlement of the fill soils in that area,” said Steve King, public works director and acting city manager.

“Given the number of breaks we have experienced, we are considering replacing that block of pipe,” King added. “We are looking into the costs and feasibility of that replacement.”

If city staff choose to replace the block-long length of pipe, a proposal will be presented to the Port Townsend City Council for approval at a later date.