Weathering the Winter Storm

Five days into the new year, a winter storm blanketed our area. Louisville Water Plumber Leader Charlie Switzer and his crew navigated the snow-covered streets to repair a small water main break. Aside from facing 20-degree weather and pelting snow, the crew had their work cut out for them.

“Gas line right here and the break was directly underneath it. The storm drain was not far away from our main where it runs the other way,” Switzer said.

That meant some tedious maneuvering from Heavy Equipment Operator Brandon Ward to dig the hole and…

“It’s a lot of hand digging for the helper,” Switzer explained.

Plumber leader assistants Travis Downing and MacKenzie Mattingly tackled that part of the job to clear the way for a smooth repair.

“It’s warmer in the hole (where the main break is exposed) than it is standing up here in the elements,” Downing said. “When it’s cold like this, you want to be the helper.”

He added, “tools freezing, pumps breaking” are a few of the challenges that pop up when crews battle frigid temperatures.

“If your hands are wet and you grab a tool, it’ll freeze to your hand,” shared Switzer.

It makes sense then that water flowing onto the road could freeze just as quickly. On Sunday morning, Field Technician D’Mitris Brown’s job was behind the wheel of one of Louisville Water’s salt trucks.

“I went up and down the road three or four times,” Brown said about the job on Rutledge Road where the crew repaired the pipe.

Add snow and ice into the mix and salting the road keeps everyone safe- our crews, our customers, and people driving through the neighborhood.

Switzer said, “If we’re walking around and they’ve already salted it, it’s not as slick.”

It’s a two-way street when it comes to safety.

“I’ve worked for Charlie several times and it’s nothing but excellence,” Brown shared. “He’s professional. He makes good executive decisions. He makes sure everybody is safe. He’s one of the best.”

“Our weekend crew went above and beyond on Saturday to ensure that we had a manageable backlog (of work orders) going into the storm. We had a plan to not go into Sunday with more than one main break holding for Charlie and his crew,” explained Steve Witt, who oversees planning as an operations supervisor.

And while Switzer would choose working in winter weather over summer heat any day, that pre-planning and prioritizing safety was key to protecting employees while keeping Louisville Pure Tap® flowing.

“We’re getting this done and we’re going back to the shop to be on standby. Unless it’s an emergency, we’re not going to do it today,” Switzer said.