City workers brave frigid temperatures to repair water pipe

Eastbound traffic on Grand Avenue in downtown Port Washington was detoured for much of Friday and water service to a one-block portion of the street was cut off after a connection between the water main and service lateral at 101 W. Grand Ave. failed. The break was first reported shortly after midnight when water was seen “literally bubbling out of the street,” Water Supt. Leo Duffrin said. Crews had to cut through the concrete in the street as well as about 2-1/2 feet of frost in the ground before they could repair the break. Their first effort failed and the crew had to head to Milwaukee to pick up parts before the repairs were completed about 8 p.m. The crew was back on Saturday morning to patch the concrete. The cold didn’t play a part in the break, Duffrin said, but it was hard on the crew С which in addition to Duffrin included Todd Hayes, Jerry Weiss and Mike Kapp С since temperatures were 8 to 10 degrees below zero when they first responded to the scene and only reached about 10 above during the day Friday.                                          Photo by Sam Arendt