TULSA, Okla. — Despite the temps getting above freezing Jan. 17, City of Tulsa crews continue to work on more than 20 reported waterline breaks.
Regina Dunn considers herself lucky the waterline on her street in Turner Park was getting worked on.
“I’m sure (waterline breaks) could pop up most anywhere. I just happened to notice this one," Dunn told 2 News. "Every year when it gets below freezing (it’s) some pipes somewhere.”
Many streets and homes this week aren’t so lucky. The cold snap triggered at least two dozen breaks around the City of Tulsa just since last weekend.
“Oh man, it ranks right up there. I’ve been on call the last four days. I’ve been getting called out all hours of the night,” Allied Plumbing's Wesley Goswick said.
Goswick said he’s faced one of the busiest weeks in his career, going to 40 houses in four days for pipe breaks.
“I’m thinking a lot of people just weren’t really prepared," he said. "Closing vents, making sure everything’s closed up, opening their cabinet doors, such things like that.”
“No water whatsoever. I have completely lost water pressure,” said Scott Roney, who said he’s waiting for help with a broken water main on South Fulton Avenue, but worries more for his neighbors
“I’m hoping we get water soon because most of my neighbors need it, you know? Because they’re elderly or they’re special needs,” Roney said.
City of Tulsa Water Distribution Manager Josh Bilby said most active breaks happen overnight, mainly in aging lines from the 1950s.
With more than 2,300 miles of waterline in Tulsa County, city leaders ask for patience.
“Moving forward, we’ll have to wait for a crew to become available after they get something repaired," Bilby said. "So we may not be there immediately but we will get to it as quickly as we can.”
City officials said it deployed 17 crews out Jan. 17 working on various breaks and will continue through the weekend. The average time to get one fixed, it said, was around six hours.
If you see a leak or break happen on your street you can report it by calling 918-596-9488.
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