More than 171 water leaks reported in Houston because of cold weather, city says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston Public Works is experiencing an uptick in water leaks because of the cold weather.

A department spokesperson told ABC13 on Tuesday that 171 work orders had been created for water leaks, and 101 repairs were completed as of Friday.

13 Investigates found there are more than 7,000 miles of pipes carrying water underground in Houston, some up to 80 years old, meaning water leaks are not uncommon, especially in extreme conditions.

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ABC13 spoke with Brandon Mora and his uncle, Simon Gomez. They told ABC13 that a water leak has been happening across the street from their Fifth Ward home since November.

Together, the men filed three reports with the city about the leak on Colfax, near Hoffman Street. They said Houston Public Works had visited the site, but on Tuesday, the leak persisted.

"All they said was that there were duplicate reports made and that they've sent somebody out there to investigate," Mora said.

The men believe the cold weather made the leak more severe.

"At first, it wasn't bubbling like that," Gomez said. He told ABC13 he has not been able to leave trash out because his yard is flooded.

"We can't cut the grass. It's clogging up our drains right here. I'm glad it's not summer because the mosquitoes would be out," Mora said, adding the leak is also causing trash to accumulate in his yard.

On Tuesday, a Houston Public Works spokesperson told ABC13 they were looking into the leak.

However, the department left a comment on a Facebook page run by Mora saying:

"#HouPublicWorks is aware of the leak at Hoffman St. in District H. An inspector has visited the location, and a plan for repairs is underway. Please note that there are duplicate calls for this location that may be marked 'closed' or 'resolved' while our crews respond to the word order for this location."

"I think it's a waste of taxpayer money that the city's getting paid and not doing their job," Gomez said.

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