The colder weekend temperatures are prompting a frozen pipe and meter warning from Milwaukee Water Works. So far this winter, the city has already received 189 broken meter reports. That’s compared to 137 ruptures all of last winter. “We had a very abnormal amount of burst meters in over about a three-day period,” James Wright, the city’s water field supervisor, said. That three-day period came in the midst of the Christmas cold snap. “It’s a regular occurrence every winter, but that short duration of very cold temperatures did cause far more frozen meters than we anticipated,” Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Pat Pauly told 12 News. That is why ahead of this weekend’s freeze, they are asking people to keep sink cabinets open so pipes stay warm and let faucets drip slightly. They also suggest keeping an eye on the basement meters. “They need to make sure that the area where the meter lies typically in the basement is heated,” Pauly said. “It doesn’t need to be living temperature warm, but it does need to be in the 40s, 50s.” If a meter freezes, Milwaukee Water Works said the ice can cause cracks and holes. That will send water spewing out of it. An unnoticed leak or burst can cause a decrease in water pressure, an increase in utility bills and a big mess. “It’s a complication that we hope people could avoid,” Pauly said. For more tips on preventing frozen pipes and meters, click here.
MILWAUKEE —
The colder weekend temperatures are prompting a frozen pipe and meter warning from Milwaukee Water Works.
So far this winter, the city has already received 189 broken meter reports. That’s compared to 137 ruptures all of last winter.
“We had a very abnormal amount of burst meters in over about a three-day period,” James Wright, the city’s water field supervisor, said.
That three-day period came in the midst of the Christmas cold snap.
“It’s a regular occurrence every winter, but that short duration of very cold temperatures did cause far more frozen meters than we anticipated,” Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Pat Pauly told 12 News.
That is why ahead of this weekend’s freeze, they are asking people to keep sink cabinets open so pipes stay warm and let faucets drip slightly. They also suggest keeping an eye on the basement meters.
“They need to make sure that the area where the meter lies typically in the basement is heated,” Pauly said. “It doesn’t need to be living temperature warm, but it does need to be in the 40s, 50s.”
If a meter freezes, Milwaukee Water Works said the ice can cause cracks and holes. That will send water spewing out of it.
An unnoticed leak or burst can cause a decrease in water pressure, an increase in utility bills and a big mess.
“It’s a complication that we hope people could avoid,” Pauly said.
For more tips on preventing frozen pipes and meters, click here.
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