15. While most areas have pipelines underground, in the Sakha Republic, you're more likely to see above-ground pipelines. What factor makes laying pipes underground extremely difficult, if not outright impossible?
From Quiz Cold in the City
Answer:
Permafrost
Pipes cannot be laid underground because the permafrost layer is too hard and can be up to a mile deep in places, so instead, the Sakha Republic makes use of above-ground pipes for district heating, which are heavily insulated to stop them from bursting. Some homes also do not have indoor plumbing for the same reason; because frozen water expands, there is too great a risk of pipes bursting. Underground parking is non-existent for the same reason, so drivers have to insulate their cars with thick covers to stop fuel pipes bursting or freezing.
The permafrost layer also prevents wells from being dug, tap water freezes in winter and is often unsafe to consume in spring due to rivers breaking, and many villages cannot afford water treatment plants. They therefore have to rely on melted ice from lakes as a source of drinking water. The ice is stored in brick form, and families keep it in cellars during the warmer months as the permafrost layer turns the cellars into giant refrigerators.