The Fort Worth Water Department has been busy this summer: Crews have dealt with about four water main breaks per day for the past 30 days, according to city officials.
Increased demand for water during the scorching summer has put more pressure on the city’s aging cast iron pipes. Dry ground also is contributing, officials said. Since July, the Dallas/Fort Worth region has seen 31 days over 100 degrees, including 21 straight days from July 24 through Aug. 13, according to National Weather Service data.
So far, Fort Worth has seen 370 main breaks in 2023, according to news reports. In the past 30 days, the city saw 130 breaks.
The water department previously saw an average of two water main breaks per day, said Mary Gugliuzza, Fort Worth water utility spokesperson.
“We ask for patience from the public,” Gugliuzza said
Fort Worth has over 800 miles of cast iron pipes. The public works and water departments are working together to replace the iron pipes across the city, District 2 Council member Carlos Flores said.
Residents should call the city as soon as they see a water main break, Gugliuzza said. Residents are advised not to drive over the water main break because of the possibility of a hole underneath the flowing water.
Gugliuzza emphasized last summer had more water main breaks than this summer. Fort Worth had more than 476 water line breaks in 2022, according to the city.
“It doesn’t feel like that right now, but overall last summer was actually hotter,” Guglizza said.
Repairs take about six hours, according to city officials. Once a water line is repaired, a different crew will come and fix the actual road.
Overall water usage in the city is down compared to last year, Flores said.
Juan Salinas II is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at juan.salinas@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.