Low temperatures in the wake of a major winter storm have added stress to Baltimore’s water infrastructure, leaving homes, schools and even a luxury hotel briefly and suddenly waterless.

Representatives for the city’s Department of Public Works said there have been over 160 water main leaks since last week. As of Wednesday morning, there were 45 active water main breaks, 35 in Baltimore City and 10 in Baltimore County. At that time, three water mains were shut down, impacting 130 services, with two of those mains actively under repair, officials said.

The DPW’s Bureau of Water and Wastewater activated its Water Main Command Center last week to monitor the system’s conditions and coordinate response to breaks and leaks, officials said.

“The command center allows engineering and operations leadership to coordinate crews, prioritize repairs, and deploy resources quickly — including for breaks that may not yet be visible at the surface,” a spokesperson for the DPW said in an email.

Students at Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy and Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School were dismissed at noon on Tuesday due to a water main break near the 1400 block of West Lexington Street.

On Wednesday, both The Mount Washington School and Morrell Park Elementary/Middle School switched to virtual learning due to water main breaks. Baltimore City public schools, after a week of closures and virtual learning due to icy road conditions, just reopened their doors Monday.

The Pendry Baltimore hotel lost water Tuesday due to a 10-inch water main break in the 700 block of South Wolfe Street, hotel and DPW officials said. Residents in the Fells Point area were also affected.

Water services have been restored to some areas, per a map tracking incidents across the city. Baltimore City residents should dial 311 to report water main breaks, while those in Baltimore County can call 443-263-2220.

Water main breaks aren’t the only issue amid frigid weather. DPW officials said they received hundreds of calls in just one day due to frozen pipes in homes.

The Baltimore School for the Arts was closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to burst pipes. Officials said they’re still assessing the extent of the damage.

To protect pipes, the DPW advises residents leave a faucet running at a slow, steady trickle, and keep cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.