Water pressure being reduced for some customers as MLGW continues to fix breaks
A Midtown resident braves the blistering cold temperatures and icy conditions to walker dog on Friday, December 23, 2022. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Water pressure for some customers will be decreased overnight as Memphis Light, Gas and Water continues to try to fix water line breaks from the recent extreme cold weather.
As a result, MLGW will be distributing bottled water to customers at three MLGW locations starting Monday, Dec. 26.
MLGW said the remaining water breaks are “significantly” decreasing water pressure in the system, which prevents some customers from getting water. As a result of the low water pressure in some areas, MLGW is continuing to recommend that customers boil water before consuming it or using it for cooking as a precaution.
Bottled water will be distributed by MLGW starting Monday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the following locations:
- 2935 Lamar Ave.
- 5141 Navy Road in Millington
- 1111 E. Shelby Drive
Recipients will receive one case of water per car. Bottled water donations will also be accepted.
MLGW did not provide the number of customers without water. Water pressure will be reduced overnight as MLGW refills its reservoirs. For most of Christmas Day, MLGW has been pumping nearly twice its normal volume of water to compensate for the water breaks, which is why the reservoirs must be refilled.
MLGW asks that anyone who knows of a water break of any kind contact MLGW at 901-528-4465. MLGW’s full statement as of 6 p.m. Sunday is included below.
“I understand how challenging this is for customers with low pressure or no water at all,” said Doug McGowen, MLGW’s president and CEO.
MLGW said it is making an “all hands-on deck” to fix the remaining water breaks.
According to MLGW, the risk of any additional forced blackouts remains “low.” Thirty customers have electrical outages that remain to be fixed as of the 6 p.m. update on Saturday, MLGW said.
A total of 226,000 customers were without electricity as a result of rolling blackouts implemented by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity to MLGW. At the peak of the outages, a total of 75,000 customers were simultaneously without power. As a result of the extreme weather on Thursday, Dec. 22, — versus the rolling blackouts — a total of 35,000 customers were impacted.
The full statement from MLGW’s President and CEO Doug McGowen at 6 p.m. on Saturday follows:
The TVA electric demand remains manageable, and we remain at low risk of any additional load curtailment actions. We were able to get all storm related outages resolved before midnight last evening, with 30 customers who had individual outages at their residence left to resolve.
Yesterday afternoon and today, our focus of effort has been on resolving the low pressures in our water system that caused us to have to issue a precautionary boil water alert for our water customers. Our team has all hands-on deck finding and fixing leaks in our water distribution system, but we can use your help: if you see water coming from the street or a building, please let us know by calling MLGW’s 24-hour Emergency number, 528-4465. Additionally, we have identified a large number of commercial businesses with fire protection system leaks or breaks – 15 so far today. Those breaks significantly decrease pressure and volume of water in the system and prevent it from getting to other customers. We have asked all commercial property owners to check on their buildings and secure any breaks asap. We have another team of technicians answering calls for service for homeowners and businesses who have experienced a water line break on their property - our team will assist customers who are unable to secure water service at the street while they get repairs completed.
Finally, 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.
I understand how challenging this is for customers with low pressure or no water at all. Since we expect it will take another day or two to correct all these issues, MLGW and our volunteer partners will offer a bottled water giveaway for customers who have no working tap water.
We will accept donations of unopened cases of bottled water at the MLGW Community Office at 2935 Lamar Ave. from 8 – 11 a.m. Monday, December 26.
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