Heavy snowfall in Shizuoka Prefecture has caused frozen water pipes to burst, leaving 4,000 households in Ito City without water and no clear timeline for recovery.
In a recent press conference, Mayor Kenya Sugimoto of Ito City in Shizuoka Prefecture disclosed that a heavy snowfall on December 8 has left up to 4,000 households without water due to frozen and burst water pipes. The freezing temperatures caused water inside the pipes to expand, leading to ruptures and resulting in significant leaks. As a response, the city is currently deploying water supply vehicles but has not established a timeline for restoring water service.
The situation has been further complicated by the overwhelming use of tap water in the affected areas, which has caused the outage to spread. To address the crisis, the city is requesting support from water service contractors in nearby cities like Atami and Izu. However, these cities are also experiencing sporadic water outages, making it challenging for contractors to assist with repairs in Ito City.
In an effort to mitigate the impact on residents, the city has put in place three water supply vehicles and established temporary water supply tanks at community centers. Despite these efforts, the scope of the problem remains substantial, and the restoration of water services is not expected to be resolved soon, leaving residents in a difficult situation as winter continues to affect the region.
