As of Jan. 31 the village began to experience water service lines freezing under the roadway, according to Jamie Mehaffie, Bluffton Village administrator.

"It appears as though the slight warm up in the air temperature has caused the frost line to dive deeper nearly overnight. While it doesn't seem logical that a warm up would have that effect (just the opposite seems correct) it is a reality. The Service Department has been attempting to thaw the lines and not having a whole lot of success," Mehaffie said.

THE COUNCIL AGENDA IS IN AN ATTACHMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.

He will provide a report to the Bluffton council tonight (Feb. 3) on the problem.

"Some residents may be placed on a bypass line from a neighbor's service where possible," he said.

"We have also had a number of meters freeze. While the snow on the ground covering the meters has done an excellent job of insulating them, there are a handful of meters in the system that are located in areas where the snow is cleaned off of them (driveways and sidewalks) and, even with the insulation that is placed in them, managed to freeze during this recently artic air, he added.

So far we have been able to thaw the meters, but the service lines under the roadways are a problem.