ST. LOUIS COUNTY — Repair crews had their hands full overnight after 4 water mains ruptured in Affton, Webster Groves and Concord.
The first main broke about 7:30 p.m. on Mackenzie Road in Affton, Missouri American Water told customers. That break was repaired by the end of Thursday night.
Then, two mains in Webster Grove broke about 1:40 a.m. on North Gore and College avenues. As of 8:45 a.m. Friday, repairs on those mains were still ongoing.
Around 5:30 a.m., a fourth main ruptured, too, on Towne South Road in Concord, in south ӣƵ County. Missouri American Water estimates that should be fixed by later Friday afternoon.
The sudden rash of breaks could be yet another symptom of a heat wave that has gripped ӣƵ this past week.
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Main breaks can become more common in the hot summer months, according to a Missouri American Water report. As temperatures rise and residents begin using more water, water infrastructure is put under more strain.
“More people want to water their lawn, fill swimming pools and otherwise use more water,” the report says. “We’re forced to pump more, and mains sometimes can’t handle the pressure.”
A typical water main break can be repaired within four to six hours, Missouri American Water said.
Experts say summer heat and drought can contribute to water main breaks, like the situation that left thousands of families with a dry tap in Odessa, Texas.