A water line break left parts of downtown Lawrence without water for about three hours this morning.

Wayne Andrews, of the city's traffic department, and Mike Wildgen, city manager, this morning survey Seventh Street about a block east of Massachusetts Street, where a water line broke. Businesses in the area were without water for a few hours this morning.

Crews from the city’s Water Utility Department worked to pinpoint location of the leak, which was first noticed around 8:30 a.m. on Seventh Street between Massachusetts and New Hampshire streets. Water was restored shortly before 11:30 a.m.

Bob Skinner, field operations superintendent for the Water Department, said the 700 block of Massachusetts and Seventh between Massachusetts and New Hampshire were without water.

Crews were attempting to find the leak in a line originally installed in 1886 and scheduled for replacement in August, according to Skinner.

“Leaks are not predictable,” Skinner said earlier. “They can happen anytime.”