How do broken pipes effect towns and cities?

Question: How do broken pipes effect towns and cities?
- Keywords:
  broken,
  pipe,
  town
Asked by webboore to Neil on 12 Mar 2015.
- Neil Taylor answered on 12 Mar 2015:
  
  Hi webboore!
  
  Interesting question! I guess it depends on the pipe, where it has failed, how it has failed, what the pipe is carrying, and how close the pipe is to people.
  
  If a pipeline has a small leak, for example, then there will environmental consequences. If a pipe bursts, however, there will be the additional risk due to the sudden release of pressure. There will also be more severe consequences if the pipe bursts in close proximity to people (e.g. town/city or an oil rig), which is why pipes are usually made thicker in such regions to help prevent this possibility.
  
  There may be other secondary effects of the towns and cities, such as having to receive their oil and gas from somewhere else if an alternative is not found quickly.
  
  Hope this helps.

Question: How do broken pipes effect towns and cities?