Emergency water main breaks are an unfortunate but inevitable part of maintaining the aging water infrastructure of a city like Pittsburgh. When the occasional water main break occurs, however, our customers can rest assured that we’re prepared for a timely fix. In such situations, our goal is always to minimize service disruption to customers by restoring water service as quickly as possible. 

Why Do Water Main Breaks Occur? 

Although water main breaks are more likely to occur in the winter, they can happen at any point in the year. In the colder months, temperature fluctuations cause the soil and pipes themselves to expand and contract, shifting the earth and potentially upsetting the stability of nearby water mains. 

In the warmer months, water usage peaks as customers stay hydrated, water their lawns and plants, and possibly fill up a swimming pool or use water for other recreational purposes. Higher temperatures can also cause pipes to expand and contract, stressing joints and connections over time. This additional stress on our system can contribute to water main breaks. 

Beyond seasonal stress, other contributing factors include: 

• Age: The average age of our water mains is about 80 years. Over 40% were installed before 1920, making them more susceptible to failure. 
• Material: Most of the older neighborhood distribution mains are made of cast iron, which is a brittle material and more likely to fail as compared to mains constructed of ductile iron.
• Accidental damage: Construction crews or utility workers may unintentionally strike a water main during excavation or repairs.

Emergency Response Protocol

When a water main break is reported, Pittsburgh Water’s response is swift and strategic. While circumstances of any specific break can certainly vary, below is a general playbook of how our emergency response typically unfolds: 

• Immediate notification: Our Dispatch and Field Operations teams are alerted. These teams are on call 24/7 to respond. 
• On-site assessment: Operations personnel arrive at the site to evaluate the severity of the issue. Information gathered from this site evaluation is used to plan out the repair to ensure the work can be completely quickly while ensuring the safety of Pittsburgh Water staff and minimizing the disruption to customers. 
• Interim leak mitigation: Sometimes, especially for safety reasons, it’s best to contain the leak until the morning. For example, if we have a small “surfacing leak,” meaning the water is pooling on the surface of the pavement, Operations will try to close the nearby valves by three-quarters to minimize the impact should weather and other conditions allow. 
• Leak isolation: Valve & Hydrant Specialists isolate the leak. 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 affected pipe. Dispatch then notifies the customers in the impacted area via telephone. 
• Repairing and replacing the pipes: After water flow to the affected area has been shut off, crews will dig out, replace, and then connect the affected length of pipe to the exiting water main. 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 restore flow to the repaired pipe. 

What Customers Can Expect After Repairs 

Once repairs are completed, customers may notice temporary water discoloration. This is caused by increased air flow and sediment disturbance in your pipes.  

To clear this discoloration and sediment: 

• Run cold water from the lowest point in the property, such as a basement utility tub, until it runs clear, which can sometimes take up to 10 – 15 minutes. Avoid doing this from your sink or shower – taps like these have aerators, which can trap small dirt particles and potentially cause issues in the home. If discoloration persists, wait a few minutes and repeat. 
• Still not clear? Call Pittsburgh Water Emergency Dispatch 24/7 at 412-255-2423 (press 1). 

Winter Hazards & Safety Measures 

As winter approaches, water main breaks pose additional risks. Leaks can freeze, creating hazardous conditions for drivers and pedestrians. We mitigate this by deploying our salt trucks, each 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 (DPW) to apply salt in certain situations where there are multiple emergencies occurring within the same time frame. 

To report a suspected water main break or any other urgent water or sewer issue, please call our 24/7 Emergency Dispatch at 412-255-2423 (press 1).  

And for the particularly curious, check out our recent article about how planned water main replacements work!