‘ALL HANDS ON DECK:’ Could Be Days Before MLGW Restores Water Service

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Dec 26, 2022

DEVELOPING STORY: MLGW says it could be up to six days until water service is restored to the city after an untold number of pipes burst during the extreme cold weather. KWAM will provide around-the-clock coverage beginning at 6 a.m. on Wake Up Memphis with Ben Deeter.

Many residents are either completely without water service or their water pressure is extremely low. The entire city is also under a mandatory boil water advisory.

Tanker trucks are bringing water to area hospitals, MLGW said.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck effort,” MLGW president Doug McGowen said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people are lining up to get free cases of bottled water at MLGW giveaway locations:

2935 Lamar Avenue
5141 Navy Rd. in Millington
1111 E. Shelby Drive

McGowen said that the utility’s water distribution system suffered 22 breaks. He also said that since last night, 177 leaks have been cut off at businesses and homes around the city. Another 122 leaks are still being worked on.

“We have to get the system completely back up and operating to full pressure all across the system,” he said. “Once we do that, then we have to sample the water and the state has to confirm our results, and then we can lift the boil water advisory.”

“Our wells and pumping stations significantly increased pressure for most of the day today, pushing out nearly twice the normal volume of water as a temporary measure to get some water through to our customers while we were fixing the main breaks in our system, and securing water for customers with very large leaks. This evening we will have to scale back that increased volume and pressure to refill our reservoirs overnight,” McGowen added.

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