Cities across northern Illinois are dealing with a big increase in frozen pipes and broken water mains. Rockford alone has had 90 calls to homes affected by frozen lines. Officials are blaming this winter's prolonged cold temperatures, which has caused the ground to freeze to a much greater depth than normal.
T. J. Moore is Director of Public Works for the City of DeKalb. He says this is the worst winter for frozen pipes and water main breaks that anyone in his department has ever experienced. He says residents need to be aware of the potential problem and take precautions.
"Particularly in older homes or if you're on a slab, for example, if you don't have a basement. There is a greater likelihood that you'll either not have a lot of insulation in your home, or that your water line comes in very close to the surface," Moore said.
Moore says people can help prevent freezing pipes by leaving a faucet running at a slow trickle to keep the water moving.
Moore says warming temperatures may not help, at least for a while. He says the snowpack will insulate the cold ground from the warmer air until it melts.