92 water main breaks in Milwaukee! Five-year average for May: Just 16 breaks!
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Water Works has provided an update on repairs at the Texas Avenue Pumping Station following a series of water main breaks that began when a leak was discovered on a water main located outside the Texas Avenue Pumping Station. Since Saturday, May 17th, there have been 92 water main breaks in the city of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Water Works officials say the five-year average for water main breaks for the entire month of May is just 16 breaks!
Milwaukee Water Works officials say on Friday, May 23rd, six X-ray shots were taken on the 72" steel pipe where the leak was discovered. One shot was taken on Friday -- covering the area where the two 3/8" holes were found.
While one X-ray was being processed, the welder was on site and proceeded to weld two plates to cover the holes.
On Saturday, May 24th, with the welded plates completed, the remaining five X-ray shots were taken and processed.
On Tuesday, May 27th, the results of the X-rays were delivered and are now being analyzed.
Based on this analysis, decisions will be made on next actions to be taken.
The Howard Avenue Water Treatment Plant was shut down on May 17th after the leak was discovered on the water main outside the Texas Avenue Pumping Station.
The Texas Avenue Pumping Station pumps water from Lake Michigan to the Howard Avenue Water Treatment Plant.
Because the Howard Avenue Water Treatment Plant had to be shut down, the Linnwood Plant took on the extra load -- and the water pressure was increased to get drinking water to the entire city and beyond.
The extra pressure was too much for some older pipes — and that led to nearly 100 water main breaks!
The majority of the water main breaks have occurred on the city's north side.
Responding to all of these water main breaks hasn’t been cheap!
Each water main break is costing about $10,000 to fix!
Milwaukee Water Works issued a photograph of the pipe where the leak was discovered.
It is 72″ in diameter and made of steel. It is covered with a black bituminous coating for corrosion protection.
The leak consists of two 3/8″ holes within the 1.5″ by 3.5″ avocado-shaped spot seen in the yellow circle.
What appears to be a gash above the yellow circle is a scrape of the bituminous coating — but is not the leak.
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