CINCINNATI — Several water main breaks are causing issues throughout the Cincinnati area, according to Greater Cincinnati Water Works.
Crews were called to Seymour Avenue in Carthage around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning for a report of another leak. Seymour Avenue is closed at Este Avenue as crews work to repair the issue.
Water main breaks and pipe issues are not uncommon during a stretch of extreme cold, like the one the Tri-State has been in for over a week. On Monday, GCWW said crews are dealing with a heavy workload as they work to tackle the water main breaks causing the biggest impacts throughout the city.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works is experiencing a heavy workload due to the extreme temperatures. At this time, we are responding to 66 leaks and breaks. We have 11 water main breaks—4 of which are currently without water, and 8 remain in service but throttled. We are…
— Cincinnati Water (@CincinnatiWater) February 2, 2026
We checked in on Thursday evening. There were nearly 80 leaks and breaks across the city.
Of those 11 water main breaks, GCWW said four of them have caused surrounding areas to be without water.
"The number of leaks and breaks that come in is the fastest I've seen since I worked here," said Steven Predmore, superintendent of water distribution for GCWW.
GCWW said it is prioritizing breaks in areas with no water service, followed by communities who have partial water service.
Starting Monday, the agency said it would have four crews on duty and operating in "emergency mode" with mandatory 12-hour shifts to "increase response capacity."
"We're trying to get at least two leaks out of every crew," Predmore said.
GCWW officials said the main drivers of these issues are the extreme cold, icy water conditions and aging cast-iron pipes. Snow cover is also hampering repair efforts because crews cannot see utility markings on the ground.
"When we see these kind of cold temperatures, the pumps we use, they don't function as good as they should. We use air saws, and they can freeze up. The cold weather makes everything we do much more difficult," Predmore said.
WATCH: Freezing temperatures force Cincinnati water crews into 12-hour shifts
The widespread breaks are forcing business closures across the region. In Pleasant Ridge, multiple businesses on a commercial strip have been forced to close for hours or even days. The Coffee Exchange has been without water for two days, and at least one Cincinnati Public School, Pleasant Ridge Montessori School, also reported no water service on Monday.
Predmore said when crews repair larger pipes, the process becomes more complex and time-consuming. Officials said those repairs should be completed by the end of the day, but new breaks continue emerging as the cold persists.
Some Winton Hills residents have endured five days without water service, and told us they're concerned for children and elderly residents in the neighborhood.
"I have little children and elderly neighbors in the area," said Winton Hills resident Nina Burns. "Now we have water that's cold, so now we're doing bird baths ... I'm just grateful we have water."
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GCWW officials said they recommend residents be proactive by leaving faucets on a drip to prevent freezing. Residents can check if breaks or leaks have already been reported in their area by visiting the city's website and accessing the GCWW outage map.
The utility expects the emergency response to continue until temperatures finally warm up across the region.
To report a water main break or a leak in your area, you can visit the 311 website , email help@mygcww.org,or call 513-591-7700.
