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DWSD Working To Repair Dozens Of Water Main Breaks

(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit's aging infrastructure is causing water to seep through cracks and the freezing temperatures are making matters worse.

"There's no sidewalk, it's nothing but solid ice," said Detroit resident Gloria McKee.

"Someone could get hurt just walking on the sidewalk. My guy came out to shovel my snow and he couldn't shovel the snow because of all of the ice out there."

The City of Detroit Water and Sewerage department is dispatching 11 crews around the clock to repair water main breaks.

One major break runs down Wyoming from Schoolcraft to Plymouth.

 "We have teams from both Great Lakes Water Authority and DWSD trying to figure out where that leak is coming from," said DWSD Chief Operating Officer Sam Smalley.

"Unfortunately, when the weather gets cold like this and stuff ices over its not always obvious who's asset it is. DWSD has water mains and GLWA has transmission mains.

McKee says she's been dealing with issues from the break since December 27th and the brutal cold caused ice to freeze around her home.

"My son came yesterday to drop the kids off at school and before he could pull out of the driveway his whole front end of the car just ripped straight off, all of that ice," said McKee.

The breaks are causing some homes to have standing water in the basement.

"Water has been running in my basement ever since," McKee said.

DWSD officials say the issue is city-wide with over 50 trouble spots in need of repairs.

"Some of these breaks have the impact of a customer not having water so those climb to the top of our prioritization list," Smalley explained.

"Next on the list are those main breaks or leaks that are negatively affecting major roads, thoroughfares, freeways, etcetera."

Contact the city by phone at 313-267-8000 or on the Improve Detroit App if you see standing, gushing or running water on the street.

 

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