What Happens to Water Pipes During the Cold Winter Months
Cold weather increases water main and service breaks. Physics and winter do not mix. At least when it comes to water lines, which suffer frequent breaks in the colder months as the cold, saturated ground weighs on underground pipes. During the months of November through February Antioch’s Water Distribution Division repairs water main and water service line breaks at a much higher rate than in warmer months. The colder it is, the more pipes burst.
As the weather changes so does the ground surrounding the underground pipes that deliver water to your homes, schools and businesses. In the cold, wet months of winter the ground is saturated and moves a lot. With all of this movement, our pipes and the expansion of the cold water in our pipes cause more leaks. Our Water Distribution team prepares for the winter months by increasing our inventory of pipes and equipment necessary to make emergency repairs. We also keep a watchful eye on areas that have been problematic in the past winters.
Following are some simple steps you can do to prepare your home for the cold months:
- Shut off any water systems not in use during the winter such as irrigation systems.
- Insulate all exposed exterior pipes with insulating foam wrap.
- Insulate pipes in your home’s crawl spaces, attic, and garage with insulating foam wrap.
- Disconnect garden hoses.
If you see excessive water in the street, running down the curb or shooting in the air, please contact Public Works immediately; we are dedicated to restoring our customer’s water service as quickly and safely as possible.
Here are ways you can report an issue:
- Call Public Works at: (925) 779-6950; 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- Report using SeeClick Fix app
- Use our online form
Consider downloading SeeClickFix to report any issues. The app is available for ios or android and problems can be reported in minutes.
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