Frozen pipe prevention for homeowners
Several communities tell residents to run their water
There are obvious signs of that it is winter in Montpelier. However, in the city and at least 26 other Vermont communities, the unseen 4 to 5 feet of frost under snow-plowed street is a potential hazard to water service lines.
"[In] several of these services, we found the city side of the service shut off," said Thomas McArdle, the acting director of Montpelier's department of public works. "That is the city's responsibility. Again much of the plowed area is out in the street and sidewalks, which is where the frost is."
A couple of dry but cold days has resulted in close to 20 frozen pipes in the capitol city. The snow acts as an isolating layer preventing frost from reaching extreme depths.
"As soon as it gets down around the mains, the water that is running through the mains can freeze," said Kendall Chamberlin, of Richmond.
In Richmond, the town's superintendent of water resources is advising residents trickle their water if it reads 38 degrees or less. He said it's a tip he learned from the Champlain Water District: briefly let water run out of a faucet and then take it's temperature with a thermometer.
"I checked our water coming out of our well. It runs about 45 degrees. We know the ground is about 50 degrees so it makes perfect sense that if your water is getting colder that the pipes are probably running through ice and frost and there is a lot greater chance of freezing," said Chamberlin.
Municipalities say vacation and single occupancy homes are most vulnerable because there is less water running to begin with.
Experts say water main breaks are inevitable, but they're confident they can provide what's lost under that pressure.
"Yes there are far greater demands or uses from flow [of] extreme water break events, but we believe our water system can accommodate those needs," said McArdle.