A newly replaced portion of water main being installed.

Pittsburgh Water works hard to maintain our network of approximately 960 miles of water mains. This huge system of pipes, which would stretch from Pittsburgh to Orlando when laid end-to-end, forms the backbone of our city's water distribution system and ensures a steady supply of safe, high-quality water to all of our taps.

The ongoing repair and replacement of water mains, especially ones that are aging or already older, is an essential part of our commitment to providing safe and reliable water services. 

We spoke with Jason Verikas, a Field Operations Manager in our Leak Repairs group, to learn more about the process behind how our Operations team responds to water main breaks and completes the necessary repairs. 

Before any planned water main repair work can be started, Operations notifies PA One Call (811), who coordinates with other utilities to inspect and mark the impacted area. This is a safety concern – there are likely structures underground, like telephone lines, power cables, or gas or sewer lines, which can pose a real hazard if disturbed. 

Remember: Any amount of digging or excavation requires an 811 call, even in your own backyard. 

To stay in close communication with those we serve, Operations works with Pittsburgh Water's Emergency Dispatch team to send robocalls to any impacted customers to let them know what work is happening and how long the work is expected to last. Our crews work as quickly as possible, and most repairs take about four to eight hours to complete. 

Please make sure to check if your contact information is updated on your account to assure you receive a robocall if you are affected by a water main break.

When our crews repair or replace a water main, we must temporarily shut off water in the affected area. This is because the flow of pressurized water would be too strong for repairs to be made otherwise. Our crews look for the most direct and least disruptive way to make the repair and then shut off the valves at each end to isolate the pipe that needs to be repaired.

When it comes to standard, residential water main repairs, we’re often replacing a five-foot span of pipe. Oftentimes, the whole stretch of main does not need to be replaced. Using our internal geographic information system (GIS) maps, our crews will locate the asset and begin excavation. After shoring up the pit in compliance with applicable safety standards, crews will dig out, replace, and connect the affected length of pipe. After backfilling and temporarily restoring the surface, crews begin to test the repair, slowly reopening the flow of water through the stretch of water main and letting the water “bleed” in. If everything looks good, we can then fully turn the water pressure back on.

As part of our commitment to protecting public health, in the event a lead service line must be disturbed as part of Operations' work, we'll replace both public and private ones at no cost to the customer. 

There are other productivity savings we realize through water main repair work. Following a repair, crews note on an electronic close-out report any pertinent information about that site and its assets. If the pipe, for instance, is marked incorrectly on our GIS maps, we can now correct this, meaning easier, faster work for future crews.

After repairs, customers may experience discoloration due to increased airflow into their pipes and stirring of sediment. This problem can typically be solved by running your faucet on cold at the lowest point of the house until the water runs clear, which may take 10-15 minutes. If your water doesn't clear the first time, wait a few minutes and repeat this process. If your water still does not clear after taking these steps, please call Pittsburgh Water Emergency Dispatch 24/7 at 412-255-2423.

While repairing leaks when they occur is an important part of the work we do every day, Pittsburgh Water is also aggressively renewing our water infrastructure to ensure leaks and breaks happen less frequently. Pittsburgh Water is set to begin a new round of proactive water main replacement work this summer. This $75.4 million investment in our water infrastructure will boost our local economy, create jobs, and improve water quality for our customers.

To view active, recently restored, and upcoming service outages, visit our Service Outages page.