MAYSVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — January saw icy temperatures across the state and freezing temps means frozen pipes. For the last few days Maysville residents have been experiencing burst pipes.
One barista, Skyler Hobson, says, "This morning it's been very slow, very very slow."
The owner of Hippie Burger, Gerry Hanson, says, "It's very essential to our business. You know we need water."
Some businesses in the downtown area had to close or cancel big orders.
Hason shares, "It was $200. And I know that seems very small to a lot of people, but when you're starting out, yes that was a lot."
Officials posted updates on social media and some residents have shared frustrations. Maysville's city manager, Matt Wallingford, says that utility crews are out.
He says, "Now we did have one a couple of nights ago that impacted all of downtown, but for the most part the impacts have been minimal."
Wallingford explains they've experienced leaks in new areas that they haven't seen before. He shares, "This is probably the worst stretch we've seen in the past 15 years."
The LEX 18 Weather Center shows that temperatures got as low as three degrees in Mason County over the past couple of weeks. However, the businesses that I spoke with in this area want to see a more permanent solution to these water main breaks.
Hanson says, "I look for this place to be here for decades and I don't want no one else... You know let's get this problem fixed now, let's work on getting the problem fixed now. It can’t be fixed today but let's work on the problem instead of saying 10 years down the road."
He says he and his wife just opened their business this summer and are working hard to keep it going. He says any setback can be a big deal. Others worry about water quality over time.
Hobson says, "Just the more often that it breaks, I guess the more concerned I get about how clean the water is. You know because every time that it breaks stuff gets in there."
Wallingford says some water lines are more than 100 years old, and there are plans in place to bring them up-to-date over time. He wants people to know that they're working to get things fixed.
He says, "We're trying our best. We have a wonderful utility department that has worked countless hours and again we're experiencing a winter we haven't experienced in probably 15 years. And regardless of how many feet of line we replace, we're still gonna have breaks each year."
