Waterloo sees surge in frozen service lines

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - This winter’s frigid temperatures are becoming costly for homeowners suddenly confronted with frozen water lines that connect city water mains to their homes.

The problem has become so serious in Waterloo that Mayor Buck Clark is asking congressional and legislative representatives whether emergency assistance could be made available, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported (https://bit.ly/1hIUzwL ). He’s also asked the Black Hawk County Gaming Association about funding. The nonprofit organization gives out a percentage of profits from the Isle of Capris casino to local organizations.

A deep freeze has driven frost further into the ground and it has caused more than 500 water lines that connect to buildings to freeze in the city.

The service lines, which connect buildings with the main water distribution pipes, are the responsibility of property owners in most large cities. It costs at least $500 for a plumber to thaw a line, Waterloo Water Works Production Manager Tim Robbins said. Costs can soar much higher if lines break and must be replaced.

Cities throughout Iowa have been dealing with a surge in water main breaks and increasing numbers of frozen service lines. Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa and Mason City all have reported increased incidents of frozen service lines this winter.

The Cedar Rapids Water Division has posted a statement on its website that says homes built before 1970 may not have water service lines buried at least 5½ feet deep, which is required for newer homes. The city is recommending customers with homes older than 1970 to leave a faucet dripping slowly to prevent the service line from freezing until temperatures improve.

Des Moines has experienced a record 250 water main breaks in January and February and more calls than that from homeowners reporting problems with service lines, said Des Moines Water Works CEO Bill Stowe.

Water mains are typically 5 feet below the ground and when the frost line is as deep as it is this year, lines can break.

“The service lines going to homes are shallower and this year where we have frost lines at 4 feet they are caught literally in frozen ground,” Stowe said. “We are seeing more of it.”

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Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, https://www.wcfcourier.com