KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An unrelenting stretch of frigid temperatures and snowfall is testing the limits of some of the Kansas City area’s infrastructure.
Late Sunday night, a water main break in Brookside sent a burst of water skyward as workers attempted to dig through the snow to turn off the flow.
Kansas City Water Department spokesperson Jackson Overstreet tells KSHB 41 that water crews have responded to 20 water main breaks since Friday, Jan. 12.
Eight of the breaks have occurred just in the last 12 hours or so.
Overstreet said that in addition to the cold temps, colder water being pumped in from the Missouri River can lead to changes in temperature and cause breaks.
A similar situation has wreaked havoc on the water system in Topeka.
Water officials there say issues with getting water from the Kansas River led to a broken PVC gas pipe on their chlorine gas system.
A boil advisory has been issued for the Kansas capital city through Friday, Jan. 19.
The City of Topeka Water Boil Advisory is expected to be in effect until at least Friday, January 19, 2024. We understand that there are a lot of questions, so we have put together an FAQ sheet with more information. We appreciate the community's patience as we work to resolve… pic.twitter.com/ysSfgihiS2
— City of Topeka (@cityoftopeka) January 15, 2024
Even indoor sprinkler systems aren’t immune to the cold temperatures.
Around noon Monday, officials temporarily closed the AdventHealth College Boulevard Campus after a fire sprinkler broke on the second floor.
RELATED | Sub-zero temperatures cause pipe leak in lower arrivals area at KCI
While no patients or staff were injured due to the break, the location’s emergency department and elevators were impacted.
By 4 p.m., the location is back open, including the emergency department.
—
