KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) — The frigid temperatures are causing water mains to buckle throughout Kalamazoo and crews are working around the clock to fix the broken pipes.
Newschannel 3’s Franque Thompson was at a main break near Paterson and Douglass and the Kalamazoo Public Services Department said it will be a long winter.
Kalamazoo Department of Public Services Director James Baker said since December 24 they’ve seen new water main breaks about every day throughout the city.
She will have to wait for crews to fix a water main break she says she was never notified about.
Wilson said, “We would have been more prepared for it, would have known what’s going on because this is community we live in.
Baker said, “When that really cold weather hits, the ground starts to freeze and stars to move and strain on some of the old pipes in our network.” Baker says the department has been fixing water main breaks all over the city for almost two weeks straight.
And they worked at about 2:30 in the morning and they were at a point where they couldn’t go any further ahead.” Crews closed off the road near Paterson and Douglass for the neighborhood’s safety.
If we’re telling you not to drive on that area it’s for a good reason.
Your car could fall through where there’s no subgrade or sub base under a road structure.” There’s no telling how long the Paterson and Douglass repair will take and Wilson says she just hopes she has enough bottled water.
Wilson said, “This is what we have to do for the time being, just use bottles and clean bottles.”