Arbutus families frustrated over dayslong utility outage due to delayed water main break repairs
CONDITIONS AND WHY THE REPAIR WORK IS TAKING SO LONG HOME. PREPARING FOR THE STORM. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I HAD DONE ALL MY GROCERY SHOPPING AND EVERYTHING ON FRIDAY, BRENDA ALEXANDER THOUGHT SHE WAS ALL SET TO RIDE OUT THE WINTER STORM AT HOME WITH HER TWO YEAR OLD KENYA. WHAT SHE DIDN’T EXPECT WAS FOR HER WATER TO GO OUT BEFORE THE SNOW STARTED TO FALL. THE COUNTY’S GIFT TO US. SHE’S STILL CONSERVING BOTTLED WATER FOR DRINKING. THIS IS A BUILD UP SINCE SATURDAY, FORCED TO LIVE WITH DIRTY DISHES PILING UP IN THE KITCHEN SINK AND A BATHROOM ROUTINE, SHE CALLS INHUMANE. SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO GO THERE AND THEN, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO DUMP HER WASTE INTO A BUCKET. THIS IS WHAT THE ALEXANDER FAMILY HAS BEEN DEALING WITH FOR DAYS. YOU TURN ON THE SINK, NO WATER. IT’S ME. I’M FRUSTRATION. ANGER. LIKE I FEEL LIKE I’M LIVING AN EPISODE OF LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. IT’S ALL DUE TO AN EIGHT INCH WATER MAIN BREAK ALONG SULFUR SPRING ROAD. THE BALTIMORE CITY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SAYS SEVERAL ISSUES PUSHED BACK THE REPAIR WORK. WE’RE TOLD UTILITY MARKING COMPANIES WERE DELAYED AND CREWS STRUGGLED TO FIND THE LEAK. TUESDAY AFTERNOON, REPAIR WORK APPEARED TO FINALLY BEGIN. ALEXANDER SAYS THIS IS THE FOURTH BREAK IN THREE YEARS. MULTIPLE NEIGHBORS TELL WBAL TV 11 NEWS IT’S THE SAME PIPE THAT KEEPS BURSTING. THEY’RE CONFUSED WHY PREVENTATIVE MEASURES WEREN’T TAKEN AHEAD OF THE EXTREME COLD. I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. I’M SURE THAT THEY DON’T. THIS IS NOT HOW THEY WOULD WANT TO LIVE, HOW THEY WOULD WANT THEIR FAMILY TO LIVE. THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO COMMUNICATION, I THINK THAT BETTER PRECAUTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN, BECAUSE THEY DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PIPE HAS ISSUES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, ALEXANDER SAYS. THEY’RE LEFT TO WAIT AND SEE WHEN THE WATER WILL TURN ON. SHE’S CALLING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO MAKE THIS RIGHT? RENT IS DUE THIS WEEK. AT THE END OF THIS WEEK. YOU’RE STILL EXPECTING YOUR RENT, AREN’T YOU? INCLUDED IN THE RENT IS A WATER BILL. YOU’RE EXPECTING ME TO PAY A WATER BILL? NO. THE LEASING OFFICE HAS NOT RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT. IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, I’M TOMMIE CLARK WBAL, TV 11 NEWS. ALL RIGHT, TOM, THANK YOU. AND THE WBAL TV 11 NEWS IS TOLD IN A STATEMENT, QUOTE, THE BALTIMORE CITY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS UNDERSTANDS THE URGENCY OF RESTORING FULL WATER SERVICE, ESPECIALLY DURING COLD
Arbutus families frustrated over dayslong utility outage due to delayed water main break repairs
A specialized leak locator crew is working to pinpoint a water main break as families wait days for repairs.An 8-inch water main broke on Sulphur Spring Road, affecting more than 100 families who live at the Colony Hill Apartments. The Baltimore City Department of Public Works, which manages the water system, said several issues pushed back the repair work, saying utility marking companies were delayed and crews struggled to find the leak.By Tuesday afternoon, repair work appeared to finally begin.Brenda Alexander, a resident, told WBAL-TV 11 News she thought she was all set to ride out Sunday’s winter storm at home with her 2-year-old, Kenya. What she didn’t expect was for her water to go out before the snow started to fall.”I was home preparing for the storm like everyone else. I had done all my grocery shopping and everything on Friday,” said Alexander, a resident impacted by the water main break. “This was the county’s gift to us.”Alexander is conserving a box of 6 gallons of bottled water for drinking. She’s forced to live with dirty dishes piling up in the kitchen sink and a bathroom routine she calls inhumane.”She’s been able to go there, and then, unfortunately, I have to dump her waste into a bucket,” Alexander said, explaining how she and her baby use the restroom. “It’s beyond frustration. Anger. I feel like I’m living an episode of ‘Little House on the Prairie.‘ “Alexander told WBAL-TV 11 News this is the fourth break in three years. Multiple residents told WBAL-TV 11 News that they believe it’s the same pipe that keeps bursting, and they’re confused why preventative measures weren’t taken ahead of the extreme cold.”I just feel like they should be ashamed of themselves. I’m sure this is how they would want to live, how they would want their family to live. The fact that there’s been no communication, I think that better precautions should’ve been taken because they do understand that this pipe has issues. This is not the first time that this has happened,” Alexander told WBAL-TV 11 News.Alexander said she and her family are left to wait and see when the water will be restored. She’s calling for accountability.”What is the solution? What are you going to do to make this right? Rent is due at the end of this week. Included in the rent is a water bill. You’re expecting me to pay a water bill? No,” Alexander said.The leasing office did not respond by Tuesday evening to requests for comment from WBAL-TV 11 News.DPW sent a statement to WBAL-TV 11 News, saying:”The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) understands the urgency of restoring full water service, especially during cold weather conditions, and crews are working as quickly and safely as possible.”DPW responded Saturday evening to a reported 8-inch water main break near Waelchi Avenue and Sulphur Spring Road that is impacting residents at Colony Hill Apartments and additional water customers in the Arbutus area of Baltimore County.”Under Maryland law, excavation cannot begin until all underground utilities are properly marked. The utility marking companies were delayed in completing the required markings. All required utility markings were completed today, Monday, January 26, 2026, allowing repair work to move forward.”A DPW Utility Maintenance Division crew has been working in the area since early this afternoon. The leak has proven difficult to locate, and crews were unable to identify it using standard methods. A specialized leak locator crew will be on site tonight using advanced equipment to pinpoint the source of the break. An additional DPW crew is scheduled to continue repair work tomorrow morning once the leak is identified.”To support residents impacted by this outage, DPW is distributing bottled water this evening to affected residents. DPW will continue to provide updates as repairs progress. DPW encourages residents to promptly report water service issues, as early reporting helps crews respond more quickly and prevent additional damage. Residents experiencing low water pressure, loss of water, leaks, or other water-related concerns should report them immediately. In Baltimore City, call 311. In the Baltimore County service area, call 443-263-2220.”
A specialized leak locator crew is working to pinpoint a water main break as families wait days for repairs.
An 8-inch water main broke on Sulphur Spring Road, affecting more than 100 families who live at the Colony Hill Apartments. The Baltimore City Department of Public Works, which manages the water system, said several issues pushed back the repair work, saying utility marking companies were delayed and crews struggled to find the leak.
By Tuesday afternoon, repair work appeared to finally begin.
Brenda Alexander, a resident, told WBAL-TV 11 News she thought she was all set to ride out Sunday’s winter storm at home with her 2-year-old, Kenya. What she didn’t expect was for her water to go out before the snow started to fall.
“I was home preparing for the storm like everyone else. I had done all my grocery shopping and everything on Friday,” said Alexander, a resident impacted by the water main break. “This was the county’s gift to us.”
Alexander is conserving a box of 6 gallons of bottled water for drinking. She’s forced to live with dirty dishes piling up in the kitchen sink and a bathroom routine she calls inhumane.
“She’s been able to go there, and then, unfortunately, I have to dump her waste into a bucket,” Alexander said, explaining how she and her baby use the restroom. “It’s beyond frustration. Anger. I feel like I’m living an episode of ‘Little House on the Prairie.’”
Alexander told WBAL-TV 11 News this is the fourth break in three years. Multiple residents told WBAL-TV 11 News that they believe it’s the same pipe that keeps bursting, and they’re confused why preventative measures weren’t taken ahead of the extreme cold.
“I just feel like they should be ashamed of themselves. I’m sure this is how they would want to live, how they would want their family to live. The fact that there’s been no communication, I think that better precautions should’ve been taken because they do understand that this pipe has issues. This is not the first time that this has happened,” Alexander told WBAL-TV 11 News.
Alexander said she and her family are left to wait and see when the water will be restored. She’s calling for accountability.
“What is the solution? What are you going to do to make this right? Rent is due at the end of this week. Included in the rent is a water bill. You’re expecting me to pay a water bill? No,” Alexander said.
The leasing office did not respond by Tuesday evening to requests for comment from WBAL-TV 11 News.
DPW sent a statement to WBAL-TV 11 News, saying:
“The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) understands the urgency of restoring full water service, especially during cold weather conditions, and crews are working as quickly and safely as possible.
”DPW responded Saturday evening to a reported 8-inch water main break near Waelchi Avenue and Sulphur Spring Road that is impacting residents at Colony Hill Apartments and additional water customers in the Arbutus area of Baltimore County.
“Under Maryland law, excavation cannot begin until all underground utilities are properly marked. The utility marking companies were delayed in completing the required markings. All required utility markings were completed today, Monday, January 26, 2026, allowing repair work to move forward.
“A DPW Utility Maintenance Division crew has been working in the area since early this afternoon. The leak has proven difficult to locate, and crews were unable to identify it using standard methods. A specialized leak locator crew will be on site tonight using advanced equipment to pinpoint the source of the break. An additional DPW crew is scheduled to continue repair work tomorrow morning once the leak is identified.
“To support residents impacted by this outage, DPW is distributing bottled water this evening to affected residents. DPW will continue to provide updates as repairs progress. DPW encourages residents to promptly report water service issues, as early reporting helps crews respond more quickly and prevent additional damage. Residents experiencing low water pressure, loss of water, leaks, or other water-related concerns should report them immediately. In Baltimore City, call 311. In the Baltimore County service area, call 443-263-2220.”