Water Department to Talk Cold Weather Tips at 33rd Ward Town Hall

IRVING PARK — In a case of perfect timing, representatives from the Department of Water Management will be on hand to talk cold weather tips at Thursday's 33rd Ward town hall.

Frozen pipes were the bane of many a resident's existence during last year's polar vortex. Advance preparation for the coming winter months is just one of the topics on the town hall agenda, the second in a series of forums designed to introduce residents to the workings of the city's various departments.

At October's inaugural town hall with Streets & Sanitation, Commissioner Charles Williams clarified, for example, that despite the word "streets" in his department's name, it's actually the Chicago Department of Transportation's job to fix potholes.

Water employees are expected to give a brief description of their major responsibilities, which include purifying and delivering close to a billion gallons of water a day to Chicagoans and suburbanites. The floor will then be opened up to questions and complaints.

Issues likely to be addressed: Flooding, be it of streets or basements, which has been a persistent problem for residents of Albany Park and Irving Park, as well as construction woes related to ongoing water main replacement work.

The town hall is scheduled for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Horner Park fieldhouse, 2741 W. Montrose Ave.

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