Hugh Pickens, Slashdot.com contributor, writes:
“Thom Patterson writes that, triggered by this summer’s record high temperatures, hundreds of crucial water pipelines have burst across the nation, temporarily shutting off water to countless consumers just when they need it most — a clear sign that Americans should brace for more water interruptions, accompanied by skyrocketing water bills. “It’s the heat and the high water usage,” says Debbie Ragan of Oklahoma City’s Utilities Department, adding that as days of 100 degree-plus temperatures bake the region, the utility has reported 685 water main breaks since July alone, four times the normal rate. Much of the nation’s underground water lines are 80 to 100 years old — and approaching the end of their lives as the shifting climate brings more droughts, record high temperatures and other weather conditions that will damage water infrastructure.”