ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - This morning’s major water main break on Grand Avenue near Interstate 64 is just one of the latest to keep crews busy during the current cold spell.
Missouri American Water Company Spokesperson Samantha Williams tells KMOX that 160 were repaired last week in St. Louis County alone. She says primary repairs can usually be made in six to eight hours, but some jobs won’t be completely finished for a few weeks.
“Our priority is to fix the main first,” Williams says. “So, if we have 160 we have to get to, we’re going to fix that. Then, another crew will come back several weeks later to make sure we restore it to the prior condition.”
Williams says Missouri American crews have been repairing breaks for 10 straight days. they hope to catch a break when the weather warms up later this week.
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And while, warm weather following a severe cold spell usually means even more breaks, Williams says the several inches of snow on the ground should actually help prevent that from happening.
“Snow acts as a blanket, or insulator, for the pipes,” she says. “It’s when it gets to 50 degrees and it drops to ten degrees at night, that’s when we have problems.”
Another challenge, is the cold river water. She says when that is sucked into the system, it can hit the warmer, aging pipes and cause breaks. Again, it’s hoped the snow will keep the pipes cold enough that that won’t be a problem.
Williams says customers can help the crews by making sure the pipes in their homes don’t freeze.
“We find a lot of times when customers don’t protect the pipes in their home and there’s a water break or a plumbing issue in their home, they think it’s at the street level," Williams says.
She says by only reporting leaks that are on the Missouri American system, customers can help the crews focus on responding t emergencies.
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