AUGUSTA — Winthrop Street between State and Water streets will be closed through the night and into tomorrow to repair a water main break, said Greater Augusta Utility District General Manager Brian Tarbuck.

A sink hole in the roadway near the city parking garage was discovered early this morning and reported to authorities, he said.

The break is in a six-inch water pipe that is between 60- and 100-years old, Tarbuck explained, but work crews have had difficulty locating the problem area.

"This one's particularly difficult to find," Tarbuck said early Thursday evening.

District officials decided to bar traffic on lower Winthrop Street.

The utility general manager said the break was likely up hill from the first sink hole. Once discovered, the break will probably take two to four hours to repair, he said, but with the search still on for the damaged pipe mid-morning he urged motorists to avoid the area for the rest of the day.