Water Main Breaks In The Village

Oklahoma City said the sudden change in temperature has been hard on many water lines thawing out, especially for the Village area, which has 10 water line breaks the city is repairing.

The lack of water or extra water running in the streets have residents upset.

Crews have been out Monday and for the last month working on several broken lines.

Residents said the most frustrating part is water continues to leak.

"There's been water going down the street for weeks," Allyson Norick is a resident who was without running water as the lines were being repaired.

Norick said the broken line has caused her bath and sink water to turn brown.

"I had to drain my water heater about 20 times and finally I got ok water, and then later had to replace my water heater since it had so much dirt in it," added Norick. "It's extremely frustrating."

Norick said after she washed her car the other day, it kept getting mud all over it from the leak.

The Oklahoma City Utilities Department said it's not all main breaks. Some are just leaky valves due to the change in weather.

"It's the fluctuation in the temperature that causes the ground to swell, contract, and expand and it does put pressure and stresses our pipes, so we have some leaks and breaks," City Representative Debbie Ragan said.

2/11/2014 Related Story: OKC Flooded With Water Pipe Problems From Winter Weather

Many residents are worried about the wasted water. The city said the water isn't doing any damage beyond leaking on the street, and they're working around the clock on repairs.

"Despite the weather, if it happened in the middle of the night in 10 degree weather, they would be out there trying to get the water on for customers," said Ragan. "But you know, it's a big city, 620 square miles and about 3,200 miles of water main."

Residents said the lines need more than just a quick fix.

"I hope they don't just patch it up, or this is going to happen every year," said Norick. "They're very old lines; the Village was built in the 50s."

The city said the water main breaks in the Village are non-emergencies. However, if the weather gets cold enough to freeze water in the pipes, the repairs will be upgraded to a priority.

The city also mentioned that there have been 55 water main breaks so far this month.