Water main breaks occur any time of year, but are more likely to occur in the winter. In colder weather, freezing and thawing soil creates movement in the ground that can bend or shift water mains, and increases the pressure inside the pipe.

Winter water main breaks can become a dangerous hazard for drivers and pedestrians due to freezing temperatures. We address this by deploying our salt trucks, which are equipped with a plow, to areas where a leak presents a danger to our customers. We also coordinate with the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works to apply salt in certain situations where there are multiple emergencies occurring within the same timeframe.

Please make sure your contact information is up to date on your account to ensure you receive a robocall if you are impacted by a water main break. This can be done by calling PWSA Customer Service at 412-255-2423 or updating your contact info.