A troublesome 12-inch water main in Essex that broke Thursday at Back River Neck Road has been repaired and running water has been restored to the a small number of Essex residents and businesses who lost it, according to Baltimore public works officials.

The main has broken several times since October, city and county officials said.

Now, leaks in a sewer line below the water main that must be repaired before the road can be repaved, said county Public Works spokesman David Fidler.

"We can't resurface the street until we're sure that the sewer line problem is not going to cause another water line problem," he said. The leaking sewage may have washed away dirt below the water main that supported it.

The city owns the water system that serves both Baltimore and Baltimore County and performs maintenance including repairing breaks. However, Baltimore County is responsible for capital improvements such as replacing a line when it frequently breaks.

Baltimore County officials are also working to secure a contractor to replace the entire water main, though the area needs to be surveyed first, Fidler said.

The replacement project could begin as early as August, he said.