MEMPHIS
65°
Monday
Clear Sky
Statement from the President
December 26, 2022
December 26, 2022 – 7 p.m.
To MLGW customers,
Overnight and all day today our team and contracted partners have continued to find and fix broken water mains, and to secure water for residential and commercial customers who have broken pipes that are causing leaks. So far, our team has repaired 20 water main breaks and are now working on another 7. Customer service technicians have secured water for 461 residential and commercial customers and are working on securing another 180 tonight. To date, our team has secured water at 24 commercial facilities because of broken Fire Protection (FP) or sprinkler pipes. Notably, these FP systems are designed to deliver very high volumes of water, and when they break, they cause dramatic drops in our system pressure. Taken together: water main breaks, residential and commercial leaks and Fire Protection system ruptures cause reduced pressures and no-water conditions for customers down-stream. Correcting these conditions remains the substantial work ahead of us.
For our commercial customers, fluctuating and low pressures will cause commercial restroom fixtures problems with proper operation. Generally, 40 psi is required for proper function of commercial flush valves. In several areas, we are not reliably delivering that pressure. A request for our business leaders: to the extent possible for office workers, on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, please allow the maximum opportunity for remote work so that we can avoid having significant plumbing function issues in your offices. Thanks for helping us in that way. For our residential customers, you can help by not dripping water in your homes when temperatures are above freezing.
Today, MLGW and our partners and volunteers gave out 1,600 cases of water to families who are experiencing “no-water” conditions. Tomorrow, December 27, we will again offer this service, from 10 a.m.-Noon (or until supplies are exhausted). Recipients will receive one case per car. Locations:
This is a dynamic and still unfolding crisis with our water system borne of the very cold temperatures. As the weather warms, things will thaw out and there will undoubtedly be more leaks detected. I know that everyone wants to know when this will end. I will simply say that from history, once we find and fix all the breaks/leaks, it will take a few days to balance the system, and then a few days to lift the boil water advisory. As soon as I have a good estimate, I will share it with you. We appreciate your patience as our crews continue to make repairs and restore water service to customers.
Doug McGowen
MLGW, President & CEO
To MLGW customers,
Overnight and all day today our team and contracted partners have continued to find and fix broken water mains, and to secure water for residential and commercial customers who have broken pipes that are causing leaks. So far, our team has repaired 20 water main breaks and are now working on another 7. Customer service technicians have secured water for 461 residential and commercial customers and are working on securing another 180 tonight. To date, our team has secured water at 24 commercial facilities because of broken Fire Protection (FP) or sprinkler pipes. Notably, these FP systems are designed to deliver very high volumes of water, and when they break, they cause dramatic drops in our system pressure. Taken together: water main breaks, residential and commercial leaks and Fire Protection system ruptures cause reduced pressures and no-water conditions for customers down-stream. Correcting these conditions remains the substantial work ahead of us.
For our commercial customers, fluctuating and low pressures will cause commercial restroom fixtures problems with proper operation. Generally, 40 psi is required for proper function of commercial flush valves. In several areas, we are not reliably delivering that pressure. A request for our business leaders: to the extent possible for office workers, on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, please allow the maximum opportunity for remote work so that we can avoid having significant plumbing function issues in your offices. Thanks for helping us in that way. For our residential customers, you can help by not dripping water in your homes when temperatures are above freezing.
Today, MLGW and our partners and volunteers gave out 1,600 cases of water to families who are experiencing “no-water” conditions. Tomorrow, December 27, we will again offer this service, from 10 a.m.-Noon (or until supplies are exhausted). Recipients will receive one case per car. Locations:
- Pleasant Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 4813 Benjestown Rd
- Hickory Ridge Mall, 6075 Winchester Road.
This is a dynamic and still unfolding crisis with our water system borne of the very cold temperatures. As the weather warms, things will thaw out and there will undoubtedly be more leaks detected. I know that everyone wants to know when this will end. I will simply say that from history, once we find and fix all the breaks/leaks, it will take a few days to balance the system, and then a few days to lift the boil water advisory. As soon as I have a good estimate, I will share it with you. We appreciate your patience as our crews continue to make repairs and restore water service to customers.
Doug McGowen
MLGW, President & CEO
MLGW is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 440,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County.
Memphis, TN 38103