CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Water main breaks have disrupted Northeast Ohio communities with road closures and service outages, raising questions about what residents can expect as winter approaches.

Alex Margevicius, commissioner of Cleveland Water, oversees water distribution to 80 communities through 5,400 miles of pipe. The system experiences regular breaks that can force residents to go without water or into boil alert circumstances.

“It is a lot and we are sympathetic and empathetic with our customers that have to put up with the disruptions. We’re not happy when they occur,” Margevicius said.

Break rates remain steady over decades

Cleveland Water provided break rate data over the past five years, showing numbers that Margevicius said reflect a long-term pattern.

“It is a longstand

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