Water main breaks in Madison have already surpassed last year’s record

Once again this year, we will see the highest number of main breaks since the Utility began keeping detailed records in 1980. Madison Water Utility crews have repaired 339 water main breaks so far this year, already well above the previous high of 306 last year. More than 250 of those breaks happened in just the first three months of 2014 as we endured one of the coldest winters in decades.
 
The spike in main breaks appears to be largely due to the extremely frigid weather, although aging water infrastructure also plays a part. As the ground freezes and thaws, soil expands and contracts, putting pressure on water pipes. Older pipes, particularly those made in the 1940s, 50s and 60s of a brittle material called spun cast iron, tend to break more often. About 38% of Madison’s water main infrastructure dates to those post-World War II boom years, and while the pipes have served the city well for more than six decades, they’ve now reached the end of their useful life.
 
Several years ago, Madison Water Utility began aggressively ramping up our main replacement program. In 2013, we spent $7.5 million on main replacement. By 2020, that number will be $12.5 million a year. Madison was also the first city in the state to use water main relining technology, giving aging pipes new life at a lower cost than replacement.  Over the next six years, from 2015 to 2020, we plan to replace or reline approximately 55 miles of pipe.  
 
In a climate that can be harsh and unpredictable, main breaks will always happen.  But Madison Water Utility is committed to making sure our water infrastructure is in the best possible condition, ready to be relied upon by every single person who lives, works or goes to school in Madison.

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