BALTIMORE (WJZ) — “Back to normal” may not come for a few more weeks for a string of businesses on Charles Street after a massive water main break this week.

Gigi Barnett has more on how businesses are staying afloat.

It’s been non-stop work night and day. Department of Public Works crews have scrambled over the last few days to fix a 60-inch water main break on North Charles and East 20th streets.

“We are going to be working around the clock 24/7 until we get this thing done,” said Rudy Chow, City Bureau of Water.

It’s a repair stores and restaurants on Charles Street hope comes quickly.

“Everybody’s upset,” said David Gaines.

Gaines owns Ebony Styles Salon, just feet away from the gaping hole. He’s canceled dozens of appointments with clients this week and he says the longer the hole stays, the more cancelations he’ll see.

“Clients aren’t coming because they’ve heard and seen what’s going on. It’s on the corner of my block, so they’re going other places. It’s not good,” he said.

But for Gaines, the water main break hits close to home. He lives just above his shop, which means the same frustration when he gets home.

“Different times of the day, they cut the water off; different times of the day they cut the BGE off so really, I’m just at their beck and call,” Gaines said.

While DPW could not say for sure when this street will get back to normal, they say over the next few days, weather will be favorable so they’ll get plenty of work in.

DPW says the water main was at least 90 years old. The city has about 3,800 miles of aging water pipes.