Water main breaks have been frequent in Chicago area despite heat of summer
On Monday, a dramatic water main break sent a geyser of water shooting into the sky at Bryn Mawr and Courtland avenues in unincorporated Norwood Park Township.
Anthony Marchetti said he knew it could do some damage.
"I could see the street was flooded, I noticed the water — and when I saw this, it was like the Bellagio from Las Vegas here," said Anthony Marchetti. "I said, oh, this isn't good."
In that case, CBS News Chicago learned an engineering firm drilling for soil samples hit the main and caused the massive eruption.
"There has been a lot of construction going on," said Jake Betke, install manager at J. Blanton Plumbing, Sewer and Drain, "so anytime you have heavy machinery going, you're, you know, causing vibration in the ground, causing stuff to shift around. It's definitely another cause of it."
Betke said construction is one reason people see water main breaks during the heat of summer.
This week alone, west suburban Addison saw several water main breaks between Lorraine Avenue on the north, Armitage Avenue on the south, Harvard Avenue on the east, and Addison Road on the west.
In Schaumburg, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament had to cancel shows when a boil order was issued after a water main break on Sunday.
On Table Street in Lockport on Thursday, people were told they would have rusty water or low pressure for hours after a main break — the second in a week in the area.
"So anytime the temperature heats up or cools down, the ground tend to shift a lot, which then, you know, causes pipes in the ground to break," said Betke.
Betke said the high temperatures seen this summer don't help, and neither does the city's aging infrastructure. In the Chicago area, Betke said 50% of the water mains are over 50 years old — and some are over 100.
Replacing them takes time, money, and manpower.
"You've got to shut down roads. You've got to shut down streets," said Betke. "There's a lot of planning that goes into it."
So while it may seem counterintuitive to see water main breaks in the summer, it is certainly not uncommon.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane Erin tracker: Tropical storm watch issued for N.C. as dangerous rip currents forecast up the East Coast — see Category 4 storm's latest path
Officials in North Carolina have ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island ahead of expected swells. A tropical storm watch and storm surge watch have been issued for parts of the Outer Banks in North Carolina as Hurricane Erin, currently a Category 4 storm, barrels its way northwest in the Atlantic, forecasters say. Additionally, the storm is expected to bring 'life-threatening' surf and rip currents along the East Coast this week. Officials in Dare County, N.C., declared a state of emergency and ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island, where tropical storm conditions and the possibility of life-threatening inundation of water from Erin are expected to have an impact on the barrier islands this week. According to the National Hurricane Center, the rough surf conditions from the storm could affect the Bahamas and Bermuda and states on the East Coast during the next several days. Erin formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean last week, officially reaching hurricane status on Friday. It's the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. Where is Hurricane Erin now, and what is its path? As of 5 p.m. ET Monday: Erin was located 695 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 815 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. It is moving northwest at 10 mph. Erin is expected to make a gradual turn to the north on Tuesday, the NHC said in its latest advisory. The spaghetti models show the storm is expected to pass to the east of the southeastern and central Bahamas today and tonight, and move between Bermuda and the East Coast of the United States by the middle of the week. Watches and warnings As of 5 p.m. ET Monday, these are the advisories in place, according to the NHC: Tropical storm warnings are in effect for: Turks and Caicos Islands Southeast Bahamas A tropical storm watch is in effect for: Central Bahamas Beaufort Inlet to Duck, N.C., including Pamlico Sound A storm surge watch is in effect for: Cape Lookout to Duck, N.C. Tropical storm conditions are expected through this evening across the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas. Tropical storm conditions are possible in portions of the Outer Banks starting late Wednesday. A storm surge watch means there's the possibility of life-threatening inundation of water moving inland from the coastline in the designated locations during the next 48 hours. The outer bands of Erin are expected to bring areas of heavy rainfall across portions of Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, and the southeast and easternmost central Bahamas through Tuesday. Rainfall totals could range from 2 to 4 inches, with up to 6 inches in isolated areas. Though Erin is not expected to make direct landfall, swells generated by the storm will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. 'These rough ocean conditions will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents,' the NHC said. What are the chances Erin will intensify? Erin reached Category 4 strength on Saturday before briefly weakening and reintensifying early Monday. The same pattern could play out early this week. NHC forecasters said Erin 'will likely retain major hurricane status through the middle of the week." Hurricanes are rated on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, ranging from Category 1 to Category 5, with 5 being the most severe. A storm is considered a major hurricane when it reaches Category 3 strength, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph. How is hurricane season shaping up? The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and runs through the end of November, has a 50% chance of being above normal. Earlier this month, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration slightly updated the number of expected storms to 13 to 18 (estimated at 13 to 19 in May), five of which could become major hurricanes (with winds of more than 111 mph). A typical hurricane season averages 14 named storms. We're currently about halfway through this year's hurricane season, and as of Friday, Aug. 15, there have been six so far: tropical storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, and now Hurricane Erin.
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane Erin tracker: Tropical Storm watch issued for N.C. as dangerous rip currents forecast up the East Coast— see Category 4 storm's latest path
Officials in North Carolina have ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island ahead of expected swells. A tropical storm watch and storm surge watch have been issued for parts of the Outer Banks in North Carolina as Hurricane Erin, currently a Category 4 storm, barrels its way northwest in the Atlantic, forecasters say. Additionally, the storm is expected to bring 'life-threatening' surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week. Officials in Dare County, N.C. declared a state of emergency and ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island, where tropical storm conditions and the possibility of life-threatening inundation of water from Erin are expected to have an impact on the barrier islands this week. According to the National Hurricane Center, the rough surf conditions from the storm could affect the Bahamas and Bermuda and states on the U.S. East Coast during the next several days. Erin formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean last week, officially reaching hurricane status on Friday. It's the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. Where is Hurricane Erin now, and what is its path? As of 5 p.m. ET Monday: Erin was located 695 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 815 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. It is moving northwest at 10 mph. Erin is expected to make a gradual turn to the north on Tuesday, the NHC said in its latest advisory. The spaghetti models show the storm is expected to pass to the east of the southeastern and central Bahamas today and tonight, and move between Bermuda and the East Coast of the United States by the middle of the week. Watches and warnings As of 5 p.m. ET Monday, these are the advisories in place, according to the NHC: Tropical storm warnings are in effect for: Turks and Caicos Islands Southeast Bahamas A tropical storm watch is in effect for: Central Bahamas Beaufort Inlet to Duck, N.C., including Pamlico Sound A storm surge watch is in effect for: Cape Lookout to Duck, N.C. Tropical storm conditions are expected through this evening across the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas. Tropical storm conditions are possible in portions of the Outer Banks starting late Wednesday. A storm surge watch means there's the possibility of life-threatening inundation of water moving inland from the coastline in the designated locations during the next 48 hours. The outer bands of Erin are expected to bring areas of heavy rainfall across portions of Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, and the southeast and easternmost central Bahamas through Tuesday. Rainfall totals could range from 2 to 4 inches, with up to 6 inches in isolated areas. Though Erin is not expected to make direct landfall, swells generated by the storm will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. 'These rough ocean conditions will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents,' the NHC said. What are the chances Erin will intensify? Erin reached Category 4 strength on Saturday before briefly weakening and reintensifying early Monday. The same pattern could play out early this week. NHC forecasters said Erin 'will likely retain major hurricane status through the middle of the week." Hurricanes are rated on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, ranging from Category 1 to Category 5, with 5 being the most severe. A storm is considered a major hurricane when it reaches Category 3 strength, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph. How is hurricane season shaping up? The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and runs through the end of November, has a 50% chance of being above normal. Earlier this month, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration slightly updated the number of expected storms to 13 to 18 (estimated at 13 to 19 in May), five of which could become major hurricanes (with winds of more than 111 mph). A typical hurricane season averages 14 named storms. We're currently about halfway through this year's hurricane season, and as of Friday, Aug. 15, there have been six so far: tropical storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, and now Hurricane Erin.
CNET
4 minutes ago
- CNET
An Aurora Is Hitting Monday Night Only and Will Be Visible in Over a Dozen States
As the sun continues the tumultuous peak of its 11-year cycle, more instances of aurora borealis have been expected. The most recent instance was earlier in August when auroras lit up the skies in 18 states. It seems the Earth is in for another battering of solar material as another aurora has been forecast for Monday night, and it should be a pretty decent one for states in the northern US. According to NOAA, the Earth will experience a geomagnetic storm with a Kp 5 rating. For the uninitiated, the K-index is a measure of how strong geomagnetic storms are and a Kp 5 rating is designated as a "moderate" storm by NOAA. In general, the stronger the geomagnetic storm, the further south an aurora appears, and a Kp 5 will almost assuredly drag the northern lights into the US. This week's geomagnetic storm comes to us courtesy of the sun. Per SpaceWeatherLive, there were a number of solar flares ejected from the sun over the last several days, a pattern of increased solar activity that also caused the aurora on Aug. 8. Most of the states bordering Canada will see a light show. NOAA Where will the aurora be visible? The states that can be expected to see it include Washington, the northern tip of Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the northern horn of Michigan. If it's dark enough and people face north, it may also be visible in Wyoming, Iowa, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Of course, the best view will be in Alaska, where the whole state should be able to see the most intense part of the aurora. NOAA says the storm will peak at around 0300 to 0900 UTC, which translates to 11 p.m. through 5 a.m. ET (8 p.m. to 2 a.m. PT). Tips to see the aurora If you live in one of the aforementioned states, your best bet is to get somewhere elevated and away from city or suburban light pollution, and then simply point yourself north. Photographers looking to catch a glimpse will want to use long exposure times to give the camera ample time to take in as much aurora light as possible. If you plan on taking a trip out to the sticks to see it, keep an eye out for shooting stars at the tail end of Perseids meteor shower and you may be able to spot some plants in the last planet parade of 2025.
