The break happened beneath the unit block of Chestnut Street near East Ridge Pike just after 1 a.m.
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Water has been turned off in the area, and Pennsylvania American Water crews could be seen using an excavator to tear up the asphalt and get to the issue underground.
The aging water main, which was at least 50 years old, broke open, leaving customers with dry faucets and damp basements.
One woman told Action News she had more than $7,000 worth of damage - not to mention all the sentimental items she lost.
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"Water was just coming down, like a fire hydrant, Then I looked at the street and it was flooded and it was gushing through my basement window," she said.
Pennsylvania American Water says this was a six-inch distribution main. The outage affects about 17 homes.
Crews on the scene estimate it will take about four to six hours' worth of work to get water service restored here.