Waukesha water main break results in roughly 1 million gallons lost over 2 hours

 

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Monday's slow thaw ended up being bad for some businesses in Waukesha.

The change in temperature led to a water main break near Sunset and West Avenue.

Crews got the call around 8 a.m. and it was no easy find. It took about eight hours in these freezing temps to locate the break. 

It's the day after Christmas, but doors to these Waukesha businesses are still closed.

"And it turned out it was a pipe that broke and separated, and it was pretty major," said Pete Skebba, Waukesha water equipment operator.

Waukesha water utility workers were on it. They ultimately found a 12-inch pipe broken that restricted water flow all day on West Avenue, from Sunset to the train tracks. But customers even a mile away experienced rusty-colored water as a result, which officials say looked dirty, but was safe to drink.

"It's a 12-inch ductile iron pipe, and the pipe broke and separated, and that just allowed a lot more water to flow out," said Skebba. "Our best estimate's about 8,300 gallons a minute and that we lost about a million over two hours."

Milwaukee is seeing burst pipes too. The fire department had over 60 such calls this holiday weekend.

"If you do notice a severe leak, the first thing to do is obviously shut off your water, your main water," said Milwaukee Fire Department Deputy Chief Erich Roden. "There's usually a valve located near your water meter on the street side of the house."

A stained wall or ceiling, or loss of water pressure, can be signs of a leak. 

"They never burst out in the open where you can see them readily. Usually, they'll burst behind walls or under the floor, somewhere like that. That's why a lot of people will call and say my water's coming through my light fixtures in the ceiling."

In the coming days, you may want to open cabinet doors to sinks to get warmer airflow on your pipes. It's also a good idea to leave a slow trickle from a basement sink. 

If you drive up on the scene of a water main break, crews ask that you stay back for your safety and theirs.