BAY CITY, MI (WNEM) -
The hot weather is once again creating problems for Bay City's public water works system – water mains keep breaking.
City crews had to deal with six breaks this past weekend, three Saturday and three more Sunday. So far, crews have had to repair 31 water main breaks since June 24.
Bay City business owner Tom Barsheff has been at his Euclid Avenue location for years. Fortunately, his transmission shop was closed Sunday, so he didn't feel the impact of having no water. A line broke right on the busy street across from his business. "It seems to be like we've had a rash of them, yeah," said Barsheff. "You'd have to go someplace else to use the restroom of course, water, you need water during the course of the day and especially as hot as it's been, just to cool off or drink or whatever."
The last thing the city wants is another water main break. It has other projects going on, such as the big sewer line replacement currently being installed on Marquette.
But the construction coupled with news of more water main breaks has residents on edge. "I don't know why, it seems the water pressure's a little bit lower than it has been in the past," said Barsheff.
TV5 went to the City Water Department to get an update to Barsheff's question, which many residents are asking right now.
"[With] the increased water demand in the city, the pumps in the water plant have to be turned on and off more often, which create slight surges throughout the system, so anytime that happens, it can create a water main break," explained Mark Vanderberg, with Bay City's Water Distribution Dept.
And with temperatures projected to soar into the mid to high 90s Tuesday, the water crews are knocking on wood that it won't create more water main breaks.
Bay City is asking residents who see water bubbling up from under the ground to call 989-894-8321.
Copyright 2012 WNEM (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
