ROANOKE, Va. – Crews were out working Monday on broken water pipes all over the Roanoke Valley. There have been many reports of people and businesses not having water because pipes are freezing and then breaking.
A spokeswoman for the Western Virginia Water Authority said crews worked on 12 locations Monday where there were water main breaks. She said there have been 40 breaks since late Friday and more than 100 breaks since Christmas.
The cold temperatures are to blame, particularly when the ground freezes. There can be more problems when the pipes begin to thaw, as temperatures rise later this week.
Many crews have been working 12-plus-hour shifts all weekend.
"They're out here in all kinds of weather conditions repairing the breaks, making sure our customers have water service." said Sarah Baumgardner, the public relations manager at the Western Virginia Water Authority.
The department covers the city of Roanoke, and Roanoke, Botetourt and Franklin counties.