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Fort Worth dealing with water main breaks from winter storm
The City of Fort Worth is dealing with water main breaks caused by the winter storm, but says thankfully the amount so far is "not outrageous". FOX 4's Dionne Anglin has more on the city's efforts to fix the breaks.
FORT WORTH, Texas - As North Texas starts to thaw, many people will get the unwelcome news that their pipes have burst. In Fort Worth, some people are also dealing with water main breaks.
Fort Worth Pipe Problems
Fort Worth had nearly a dozen water main breaks on Tuesday that caused water service disruptions for about 145 customers.
"Ten main breaks in a day is not bad at all. It’s more than a normal day, but for a winter weather event, right now things are not outrageous. They are manageable," Mary Gugliuzza said, a spokesperson for the city’s water department.
She thanked those affected by the repair work for their patience.
"It’s tedious, and you can’t turn valves off quickly. If you turn them too quickly, you create a water hammer. And a water hammer is that pressure has to go somewhere, and it can cause more breaks," she said.
Gugliuzza said the city has also received an uptick in calls for help shutting off main valves to homes, likely due to pipes that froze, then burst, and are now thawing.
But it’s nothing like the damage caused during the deep freeze associated with the 2021 Texas winter storm.
"How many breaks did we get up to in 2021? Oh, 719 I believe in total over about a 17-day period," Gugliuzza said.
It’s no consolation for those currently impacted, yet still perspective.
"Hopefully, people have done what they’re supposed to do already, which is have some water on hand. Because you never know. Just be mindful that our crews are doing the very best they can to get you back in service as soon as they can," Fort Worth’s water spokesperson said.
What you can do:
Fort Worth residents can call the non-emergency help line 311 for help shutting off water to their home.
Frozen Pipes Advice
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Texas winter storm: What to do about frozen pipe concerns
Concerned your pipes have frozen over during this Texas winter storm? FOX 4's Lori Brown talked to an expert on what you can and should do as the extreme cold warning is still active through Tuesday in North Texas.
If your water has stopped flowing or you suspect a pipe is frozen, Clayton Whitmire with Berkey’s Plumbing said you should try to shut your water off as things start to thaw out.
"Water can go a long way in a very short amount of time. You can cause a lot of damage with water. I mean, just within an hour span. So when it does get above freezing, and you have an issue, if you have issue, yes, that's when you would go to turn the water off at either your home shutoff valve or at the city valve," he said.
Plumbers warn of hidden pipe damage as North Texas prepares for thaw
A North Texas plumber is advising residents to keep faucets running in a steady stream and prepare to shut off their main water valves as rising temperatures threaten to reveal pipe damage caused by the deep freeze.
He also recommended that people continue dripping their faucets as long as temperatures are dropping below freezing at night.
"Our lines, really in Texas, aren't buried deep enough in this area," he said. "Your water bill will be higher than your normal for the month beforehand, but would you rather have a high-water bill of, you know, $30, $40, or an expensive plumbing bill and possibly water damage?"
The Source: FOX 4's Dionne Anglin gathered information for this story by talking to Mary Gugliuzza, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth water department. Other information comes from past news coverage.