Street crews are turning their focus toward pothole repairs as many city streets are in good shape at this time. Water and Sewer crews are on 24/7 operations as they respond to the record number of waterline breaks occurring in Tulsa as a result of the extremely cold temperatures.
Snow & Ice Response
Snow quickly melted today on arterial streets throughout the city as the sun was out most of the day. Employees from other departments have started being released from snow and ice response to go back to their regular job duties. Tonight, brine crews and salt trucks will treat refreeze and slick spots as needed.
Pothole repairs will commence tomorrow in areas where potholes have appeared due to the weather conditions.
Some crews will be on standby over the weekend to address emergency pothole repairs. To report potholes in Tulsa, residents can call 311 on business days, report potholes through the 311 app, or make reports online at www.tulsa311.com.
Waterline Break Updates
Throughout the duration of this winter weather event, the City has responded to a total of 254 broken waterlines and has been able to repair 92 of those. There are currently 161 active breaks, with 111 that have had the water turned off. There are currently 1,600 residential customers and 132 businesses affected by service interruptions as the result of water being turned off.
Crews will work 24/7 until the waterline situation improves. Today, eight City crews and 20 contractors were working on repairs. An additional 10 City crews have been working to turn off water at broken waterlines. Tulsa Fire has also responded to numerous calls for service on broken waterlines at individual households.
Seven crews will be in overnight to continue to turn off water to affected lines, while others will work overnight on repairs. The City expects to bring additional contractors in to help with waterline repairs tomorrow.
Due to the unprecedented cold weather and number of breaks, residents are being asked to conserve water. Though individual service interruptions should be expected only for those directly impacted by these waterline breaks, Tulsa residents and those who utilize the city’s water system are asked to conserve water to preserve tank levels.
Tips to conserve water include:
The City has created an interactive map that provides additional information on waterline breaks as they happen and are repaired. View the map at: https://maps.cityoftulsa.org/watermainbreaks
Water Pump Update
Early this morning, crews were able to fix the pump leak at the Mohawk Water Treatment Plant, returning water pressure to normal levels. Affected customers are asked to check their aerators on sinks and faucets. Aerators, which are those small round pieces on the bottom of your faucet where the water comes out, can collect sediment and other debris due to low water pressure.
Aerators are easily cleanable and can be unscrewed from the faucet, usually by hand – a wrench can be used if they do not easily come off. To clean your aerators, you can use an old toothbrush and a glass of vinegar.
No Boil Order Issued
There have been rumors the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality has asked the City to issue a boil order. To be clear, no such boil order has been requested for Tulsa water customers at this time. If such an order is asked of the City, customers will be promptly notified.
Water Stations Open
For impacted customers who need potable water, River Spirit Expo and ALL Tulsa Fire Stations are available. Customers must bring their own containers.
Details are as follows:
Protect Your Pipes
If water is not flowing out of your pipes, you should:
Additional tips on protecting your water pipes can be found online.
Refuse & Recycling Update
City crews are working to catch up on refuse collection, including working on Saturday. There will be no bulky waste or recycling services through the end of the week. Bulky waste and recycling services are expected to resume on Monday, Feb. 22. Previously scheduled bulky waste pickups will be picked up next week on your regular service day, so put it at the curb with your cart.
This week, if it is your regular service day, it’s asked you put your gray trash bin on the curb. Backyard customers should also bring their carts to the curb, as many gates are inaccessible because of the snow.
If your bin was missed on your normal service day, please keep it on the curb until it is picked up. With the weather conditions, it’s asked residents be flexible and patient during this time. The City will make every attempt to get caught up once weather conditions improve.
Customers who have extra trash that will not fit inside the refuse bin can place a reasonable amount of bagged trash outside and next to their gray trash cart without a sticker. Only trash, not recycling, should be placed in your gray trash cart or in bags on the curb.
Starting next week, recycling customers with extra recycling that does not fit in the blue cart may place that excess recycling in a cardboard box next to their cart for collection.
Additionally, the City of Tulsa Mulch Site is also closed until further notice. Illegal dumping and dead animal pickup is not being collected this week (unless it is on the roadway) – collection for those services is expected to resume on Monday, Feb. 22.
Municipal Courts Update
Tulsa Municipal Court will be open and operating as usual on Friday, Feb. 19. Cases scheduled for Friday will be heard Friday. Residents who missed Wednesday and Thursday cases will have their case passed to next week on the same day – no warrants will be issued for failure to appear on either of those two days.
Tulsa Parks Updates
To help conserve water and energy, Tulsa Parks community centers will be closed tomorrow. Additionally, Oxley Nature Center and other specialty centers will be closed tomorrow. Student Support Camps, which serve students who are practicing distance learning at various community centers, will be closed through the end of the week.
Tulsa Animal Welfare Update
Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW) will be open for business as usual tomorrow from Noon to 6 p.m.
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