Leader Staff
There have been a growing number of northeast Wisconsin communities asking residents to keep their water running to avoid frozen pipes during this season’s unusually cold winter, but the city of Shawano isn’t among them.
Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard said the city has been keeping track of its water main temperatures, and so far they’ve been holding steady at about 39 to 40 degrees, despite the subzero temperatures above ground.
However, Sheppard said, the city is offering to let residents keep their water running if they are concerned about frozen pipes.
Sheppard said the Department of Public Works has fielded a number of phone calls from concerned residents who have seen other communities issue trickle orders for their household taps.
Most recently, the village of Bonduel encouraged those who have not started already to begin running a constant stream of water.
The village of Wittenberg issued a similar notice to its water customers on Feb. 6, and the city of Clintonville did the same last week. Others following suit in the region have included Gillett, Lena and Oconto Falls.
Shawano has seen a few problems with frozen water laterals, but they have primarily been either at dead-end streets or along roads that do not experience much water usage, according to City Administrator Brian Knapp.
Sheppard said there about 20 to 25 residences in the city where people have been given the OK to run a steady stream of water.
For the time being, Sheppard said, there is no citywide requirement.