Extreme cold leads to water main breaks across Montgomery County

Extreme cold temperatures Monday and Tuesday caused several water main breaks across Montgomery County, officials said.

The 10 water main breaks reported during the two-day period are typical for these weather conditions, said Brianna Wooten of Montgomery County Environmental Services.

As of Tuesday afternoon, five water main breaks were still active in Montgomery County — none of which had caused a boil advisory, she said.

Work is expected to continue today at the intersection of Shroyer and Stroop roads in Kettering after a water main break that there early Monday morning. Road crews had to pause repairs to get more equipment, Wooten said.

The intersection remains open while crews work on the repairs.

Residents in the area of Yankee Street and Yanks Court in Washington Twp. should have normal water pressure after a water main break there was repaired Tuesday, Wooten said.

Crews said the break occurred in grass near the intersection, but did not completely block any lanes of traffic.

Officials with AAA said they have responded to several hundred calls for assistance since the weekend due to cars not starting in the cold weather.

Kettering resident Larry Guinan called AAA on Tuesday morning when he was unable to get his car started.

“It has been in Florida for the past two years,” Guinan said about his car. “It is not used to this cold.”

In addition to the cold, a vehicle’s technology can drain battery life. Vehicles equipped with heated seats and navigation systems, for example, can shorten the life of a vehicle’s battery, according to AAA.

“Be sure to turn your car on when it gets cold like this,” said Ryan Candler, a fleet driver for Miami Valley AAA. “Even if you do not plan to drive anywhere.”

He also recommended testing a vehicle battery that is more than two years old.

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