Answer

It is seen as ‘fortune’ and the water is described as ‘silver’, which really emphasises the value of it. the flow has found a roar of tongues could mean the sound of the water is like lots of tongues moving, making a lot of noise, or it could be to emphasise the people crowding round all desperately trying to have a drink of it.

There is a sense of religion to it as well with the people described as a congregation as if they are going to church to pray, in this case to the god that is water.

The fact that there is a list of what they turn up with ‘pots, brass, copper…’ shows that there are lots of people crowding round the burst water pipe.