A B757-200 overnight layover at a maintenance station in '0' degree WX had the water system freeze. Flight delayed two and one half hours to thaw water system.

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Attributes
ACN	723542
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 350 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	723524
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : unqualified personnel
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I got to the gate an hour and 10 mins before departure because of the '0' temperature to make sure it was warm for boarding. This is an early flight so I assumed it was taken care of. As I boarded a mechanic was walking off saying he just started the APU. When the flight attendants boarded I asked them to make sure we had water pressure which we did not have. Further inspection found the water system frozen. Operations then said they were going to defer it and send us out waterless. Remember; safety is #3 at this airline. I called mr X who concurred that it could not be dispatched with a frozen water system due to the possibility of leaks when it thaws. Ran the packs at full hot and it took 2 hours before we were able to get water pressure. Departed 2 1/2 hours late. I could not determine in our mentality if heat was on the airplane during the sub zero night. This flight was an early departure; at a major hub; and we let it freeze. The bigger concern is the push to get it out of town with no water with such little regard for safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 OVERNIGHT LAYOVER AT A MAINT STATION IN '0' DEG WX HAD THE WATER SYS FREEZE. FLT DELAYED TWO AND ONE HALF HRS TO THAW WATER SYS.

Narrative: I GOT TO THE GATE AN HR AND 10 MINS BEFORE DEP BECAUSE OF THE '0' TEMP TO MAKE SURE IT WAS WARM FOR BOARDING. THIS IS AN EARLY FLT SO I ASSUMED IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF. AS I BOARDED A MECH WAS WALKING OFF SAYING HE JUST STARTED THE APU. WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANTS BOARDED I ASKED THEM TO MAKE SURE WE HAD WATER PRESSURE WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE. FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE WATER SYS FROZEN. OPS THEN SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DEFER IT AND SEND US OUT WATERLESS. REMEMBER; SAFETY IS #3 AT THIS AIRLINE. I CALLED MR X WHO CONCURRED THAT IT COULD NOT BE DISPATCHED WITH A FROZEN WATER SYS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LEAKS WHEN IT THAWS. RAN THE PACKS AT FULL HOT AND IT TOOK 2 HRS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET WATER PRESSURE. DEPARTED 2 1/2 HRS LATE. I COULD NOT DETERMINE IN OUR MENTALITY IF HEAT WAS ON THE AIRPLANE DURING THE SUB ZERO NIGHT. THIS FLT WAS AN EARLY DEP; AT A MAJOR HUB; AND WE LET IT FREEZE. THE BIGGER CONCERN IS THE PUSH TO GET IT OUT OF TOWN WITH NO WATER WITH SUCH LITTLE REGARD FOR SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.