Winona gives residents fighting frozen pipes a break on their water bills

Concerned that residents may face higher expenses because they are keeping faucets open to keep pipes from freezing, city officials in Winona are giving residents a break on their water bills.

The City Council on Monday offered water and sewer customers credits of up to $70 to help them pay for a significantly higher water use than in 2013.

"It's an extremely unusual year," City Manager Judy Bodway said. "The council wanted to take action to say, 'We understand this is difficult, that it can be expensive for someone, and we wanted to provide some assistance.'"

Bodway said underground pipes that enter homes are freezing, and many residents are letting water run continuously to avoid repairs that can cost hundreds of dollars.

She said the last time frigid temperatures were an issue for the city's water system was in 2008, when there were 38 frozen pipes. Today, officials are aware of 147 frozen water lines between the city's water main and homes.

City officials say customers will have to ask for the credit, and the water department will check the records to confirm the added water use.

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