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Weirton residents may have noticed there have been a number of water line breaks and, as a result, boil orders issued in recent weeks.
It is as much of an unfortunate part of the winter season as snow-covered roads, but we encourage patience from everyone as crews work to restore service when these incidents take place.
The Weirton Area Water Board, in recent years, implemented a system of updating its infrastructure, focusing each year on select areas and replacing the water lines. As with other things in the city, parts of the water distribution system in Weirton go back decades, made of materials or built in a way that sections are more fragile than they should be for today's needs.
They become especially volatile when temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods of time, and line breaks become more frequent.
This year, especially, has been difficult as the ground has been frozen solid enough that line breaks have not been as easily visible. As a result, some areas have been losing their water reserves. City water officials have contracted with a company to assist in locating these leaks, which at one point, numbered more than 20, in order to make the necessary repairs.
We also ask that you take a moment to thank the water crews for their efforts to repair the lines and restore service as quickly as possible. They are called out at a moment's notice, no matter the time of day or the conditions of the weather, to make sure residents and businesses receive the best water service possible.
They battle the elements to repair and replace water lines, and don't often get the recognition or respect they deserve. We thank them for all they do.