Waterline Breaks Impact Over 100 Johnson City Customers

City crews respond to three separate pipeline issues amid freezing temperatures.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:07pm

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Water and sewer crews in Johnson City, Tennessee responded to three separate waterline breaks on Tuesday that impacted more than 100 customers with either low water pressure or no water service. The breaks occurred at different locations around the city and crews were able to repair two of the breaks, but were still working on the third as of the afternoon.

Why it matters

Waterline breaks are a common issue for cities during prolonged periods of freezing weather, as the cold temperatures can cause the underground pipes to become brittle and more prone to cracking or bursting. This disruption in water service impacts both residential and commercial customers in the affected areas.

The details

The waterline breaks happened at the intersection of East Lakeview Road and East Oakland Avenue, 824 N. State of Franklin Rd. and 2601 N. Roan St. The break at Lakeview and Oakland impacted 72 customers, the one on State of Franklin affected 30 customers and two businesses, while the number impacted by the Roan Street break is unknown. Crews were able to repair the breaks on East Lakeview and State of Franklin but were still working on the Roan Street break as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

  • The waterline break at Lakeview and Oakland occurred around 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
  • The repairs on Roan Street were expected to be complete Tuesday night.

The players

Jon Lane

The Johnson City Water and Sewer Services Director, who said the breaks were smaller main pipelines that are common during long periods of below-freezing temperatures.

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What they’re saying

“When it's this cold for this long, it really impacts the pipes beneath the ground.”

— Jon Lane, Johnson City Water and Sewer Services Director

“This is not that out of the normal for us. We have to deal with situations like this around this time of the year, every year.”

— Jon Lane, Johnson City Water and Sewer Services Director

What’s next

Crews were expected to complete the repairs on the Roan Street waterline break Tuesday night.

The takeaway

Waterline breaks are a common wintertime issue for cities like Johnson City, as the cold weather can cause underground pipes to become brittle and prone to cracking. The city's water and sewer services team works to respond quickly to these types of emergencies to restore service to impacted customers.