Crews work to fix Arlington water main breaks

Crews in Arlington are working to repair six water mains that all broke on Thursday.

They all happened in the southwest side of town and by the end of Thursday night, only half of them are expected to be fixed.

Mike Bogan spotted a rush of water down Waterview Drive.

“I told the neighbors, you know,” he said. “We all get water buckets."

He called it in and watched as the road in front of his house became a construction zone, with city crews tackling the break in the 24-inch water main.

A break near W. Green Oaks Blvd. knocked out water to Bogan's house and his neighbors’. The city says it will be a couple more days until it’s fixed. 

“They're a little deeper than most other lines and bigger, so we have to excavate more," said Darryl Westbrook, Assistant Director of Water Utilities.

The breaks can happen during the hot, dry weeks in North Texas.

The City of Dallas saw a cluster of breaks near Bishop Arts during the first week of August, but in Arlington, Westbrook notes water usage was high around the time of all six breaks on Thursday, and he says the higher pressure broke the vulnerable pipes.

“It's more water pushing through the system,” he said. “We have expansive soils in this area, so the soil moving around could have an impact as well.”

Whatever the reason behind the breaks, Bogan knew to fill his bathtubs and stock up on bottled water. The particular line near his home is close to other utilities. 

“What they're afraid of is that pole started moving, the electrical pole,” said Bogan. “

The repair work required more precautions. 

“Oncor secured that pole,” said Bogan.

He says he and his wife will stick it out at home, even if repairs take a few days.

After all, it’s not like the air conditioning is out.

“I can do without the water per se; you know for a little bit,” said Bogan. “You can't do without the A.C.”

The City of Arlington fixed one break on Thursday.

Three more are very close to being done.