Warming temperatures cause water issues in city, suburbs

As temperatures begin to climb above freezing in the Chicago area, the warmer weather is causing water issues in Chicago and its suburbs.

Multiple water main breaks have been reported during the past few days, including in suburban Dixmoor, where a main broke at 143rd and Page.

Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts says 150 to 200 homes are impacted, with their water being shut off until the break is fixed.

A boil order also remains in effect for an area running from 141st to 144^th Street and from Wood to Marshfield, according to officials.

The mayor says the freeze-thaw weather cycle is wreaking havoc on the old pipes in his community.

“I pray that we don’t get more breaks, but....we will probably get more breaks,” Roberts said.

The village has been dealing with water issues for years, and while a massive project to overhaul its aging water system is in the works — with funding coming from Army Corps of Engineers and Cook County, the mayor says the village is still waiting on federal funds to complete the project.

“I need federal dollars — any dollars we can get to come through, so we can get this fixed,” Roberts said.

Dixmoor’s not the only area dealing with water main breaks. In Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood, a break in the 1200 block of Milwaukee Avenue sent water gushing into the street and into some businesses.

The cold weather also caused water main breaks in Dolton and in Michigan City, Indiana, among other locations.

Temperatures are expected to continue warming in coming days, with more breaks possible as ground temperatures rise above freezing along with the weather.