Oklahoma City utility department responding to several water main breaks across the metro

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – There have been several water main breaks across the metro as temperatures continue to warm up.

KFOR is looking out for you to see when some water main breaks in your neighborhood will be fixed.  

A neighborhood near North Portland Avenue and Northwest 9^th Street in Oklahoma City has a water main break. The entire street has water flowing down the hill. 

One resident told KFOR it’s been like this for days and it is causing water pressure issues in her home. 

“It’s really pretty low. Like it takes quite a while just to fill up a sink for dishwater,” said Ashleigh Reeves, Oklahoma City resident.  

Ashleigh Reeves said not only is the water pressure low, but she’s concerned her water bill will be high this month due to the water main break. 

“At least a day or two before we got the big ice and snow over here, it’s just gotten progressively worse,” said Reeves. 

Reeves also said overnight the water has been freezing over, causing cars to slide down the hill.  

“Every time it gets cold enough at night, then every morning we wake up and it’s a solid sheet of ice there. I watched seven or eight cars and trucks this morning trying to scoot up the hill…We have kids that play out here, you know, in the ice and stuff, people sliding around, crashing into one of our yards or something like that. It’s pretty dangerous,” said Reeves.  

Reeve’s neighbor across the street, Kevin Ackman said he’s concerned if the issue isn’t fixed soon, it’s going to make the streets even worse than they are now, as there are many sinkholes in the road.  

“There are sinkholes, you know, especially on the road right there, it’s already bad… It’s going to make the road worse and then they’re going to have to do a bunch of construction over there which is going to make it just a hassle,” said Kevin Ackman, Oklahoma City resident.  

The city’s utilities department told KFOR they are aware of the issue at North Portland Avenue and Northwest 9^th Street, and they anticipate working on it this week.  

As for another water main break in the Gatewood neighborhood near Northwest 17^th and Carrie Place…

“We will work on the leak this week. We are waiting on OG&E to hold a power pole that is in the way,” said Michelann Ooten, Public Information and Marketing Manager, Utilities Department, City of Oklahoma City.

The city’s utility department also says, “Since last Thursday, (December 22) the Oklahoma City Utilities Department has responded to 704 calls, primarily to assist customers with turning off their water so they can complete private repairs.”

“Our crews have been working through the Christmas holiday to ensure our customers continue to have water and that the leaks are repaired quickly. Toward that effort, we also brought in a private contractor to provide expeditious repairs to line leaks,” said Ooten.

If there is a water main break near you, you can call OKC’s water-sewer 24/7 Emergency Line at 405-297-3334.