Cold weather creating problems for Danville water lines

By: John Crane | GoDanRiver
Published: December 23, 2009

DANVILLE — Cold temperatures have contributed to three leaks — at least two of them water main breaks — that occurred in Danville’s water lines Tuesday.

The first water main break happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday at River Street near the S-curves, affecting about 20 residential and business water customers, said Jim Harr, deputy director of utilities for the city of Danville. Subsurface movement resulting from temperature swings likely caused the brittle 12-inch, cast-iron pipe to break, Harr said.

City workers replaced about 18 feet of pipe there, Harr said. The problem was fixed by about 2 p.m., Harr said.

The break was fixed, but another break occurred at about noon at Patton and Ridge streets, affecting about five businesses, Harr said. The line at Ridge and Patton is a 6-inch line, which was fixed by about 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Another break also occurred about 20 feet east of where the first break happened on River Street. Workers were repairing the line Tuesday evening.

“We’ll stay after it tonight until it’s done,” Harr said.

Fluctuations in temperature and extreme hot or cold can cause water lines to break, Harr said.