HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — How much does repairing broken water mains in the City of Houston cost? Turns out it’s a lot.
Eyewitness News is looking at where the city stands regarding water leaks as the temperatures warm up, considering the amount Houstonians reported last summer.
The City of Houston told ABC13 they will hire additional contractors later this year and assist with water leaks across the city.
Officials said they continue investing in long-term projects to fix water and infrastructure.
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A spokesperson with Houston Public Works said this year, there are less than 1,200 work orders for items like water line repairs and damaged fire hydrants.
About 85% of the work orders are active water leaks. So, about 1,000 active leaks across the city have open work orders.
In 2023, the Houston City Council approved $80 million to hire outside contractors to supplement their crews.
However, the additional contractors coming this year aren’t being funded out of that $80 million, according to the city.
So, Houston needs more money.
City officials said they’re “committed” to fixing every leak, which is expensive.
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So, if you’re keeping score, hiring more contractors will cost millions.
Then, they have to pay their crews to do the work alongside them, including overtime.
From June through November 2023, overtime hours for water leaks alone cost the city nearly $2 million.
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