Cold Weather, Old Lines Create Water Woes for Knox Residents

  
 

A handful of Knox residents are without water as a result of the sustained cold temperatures. Knox Water Superintendent Todd Gardner tells WKVI News a total of 19 residences, including two that are not occupied, mainly in the Parkview Heights area, are experiencing frozen water lines. “The water mains are shallow in that area. What’s happened is the ground’s turned into a block of ice around the water main, so when our customers turn their water off it’s only a matter of minutes and their service freezes up,” Gardner explains. ” When their service freezes up and it travels out into the mains, there’s nothing we can do to thaw them back out. What we’re asking is people to keep their water turned on and running to keep from freezing and also keep the mains from freezing. Running water won’t freeze, so we’re trying to get the point out. One of the problems we have is when it’s 20 and sunny everyone thinks they can turn their water off because it’s not going to freeze, but the problem is under ground three feet.” Gardner adds the lines are 80 years old, and he fears that applying heat to them to thaw them out will cause the old pipes to spring leaks and in turn leave more customers without water. He says the town plans to run some temporary lines above ground as soon as it’s warm enough to do so without fear that they will freeze. Meanwhile, all residents are urged to let their water run until further notice to keep it from freezing. Gardner adds the city will adjust water bills for residents who do so based on their average usage if they notify city hall when they get their next bills.