KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In single-digit temperatures, water crews still have to repair broken water mains to restore water to families and businesses. Wednesday in the bitter cold, Kansas City Water Services crews were repairing a six-inch water main break that left 25 homes without water in the area of 75th and Monroe.
Aaron Balliet, Utility Repair Manager with Kansas City Water, said crews have a strategy to deal with working in extremely cold weather.
- They wear protective headgear that includes a mask to shield their faces from wind chill.
- Their dress in layers with overalls and waterproof waders
- When they get cold they take a break and sit in the heated cab of their truck
Balliet said when you see water crews working in freezing temperatures — it’s important to avoid the area because leaking water has likely frozen and created dangerous slick spots in roads and sidewalks.
Water crews typically spend three to four hours in freezing cold weather repairing a broken water main.
