Water Outages & Emergencies

Water Shut-Off

Occasionally we may temporarily shut off water in your neighborhood to repair a water main. We will try to contact you before the water is shut off, so that you may make preparations. If your water is shut off, but no utility work is underway in your area, please call us at 715-425-0906 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or at 715-852-1715 for after hour emergencies.

In the event of service leaks of main breaks, a water service line leak will very often result in lower pressure or almost no pressure in your home.

Bubbling Water

If you notice water bubbling from the ground in your yard or in the street, the service line transporting water from the water main to your house may be leaking. Although repair or replacement of the service line is the responsibility of the property owner, give us a call and we will help you determine if and when the service is leaking.

Shut-Off Valve

We encourage you to locate and test your shut-off valve to ensure it is working properly before an emergency occurs. Shut-off valves are typically located next to your inside water meter. To test your valve, turn on a faucet within your house, locate the valve, and turn it clockwise until it stops, then return to examine your faucet.

If your valve is functioning properly, water should stop completely within a few minutes. If it is not functioning properly, it should be repaired or replaced. Internal valves are the responsibility of the property owner, but if repairs are made during normal business hours, the Utility will shut your water off at the curb stop at no charge, allowing your plumber to make necessary repairs. Non-emergency requests for service require an appointment one business day in advance.

Freezing Water Pipes

Water pipes and meters are most susceptible to freezing when the outdoor air temperature is below freezing for more than a few days. Special attention should be given when the outdoor air temperature does not rise above zero degrees during the daytime hours.

Tips to Preventing Frozen Pipes

Some suggestions to help prevent your pipes from freezing in extreme weather include:

Heat the water meter area or pipes exposed to outside walls. If you go on vacation or will be away, don't turn your heat off. It's not necessary to run it as high as you would if you were at home, but keeping the heat inside in the 60s will help you keep the pipes warm.
Provide ventilation to pipes allowing warmer air to circulate around them. A good way of helping the interior heat reach your pipes is to leave closet and cabinet doors open.
Insulate or heat all pipes that are vulnerable to cold air. This can be done by using standard insulation material or through the use of approved heat tapes.
Caulk and seal any opening near your meter or pipes. A 1/4-inch gap drains as much heated interior air as a 3 by 3-inch hole in the wall.
Keep a thin stream of continuous water running about the thickness of a pencil. Moving water is more difficult to freeze, however, this will affect your bill.
In severe cases, it is best to turn your main valve off and have a plumber drain your system, this way there will be no water in your pipes to freeze. This is normally done if no one will be home for an extended period of time.
Shut off and drain all outdoor water supply lines, pipes, and hoses.

Lateral Thawing

Lateral thawing shall be at the customer’s expense if customer neglects to provide or maintain proper insulation or protection for the lateral according to standard accepted practice, or specific utility instructions, such as the required depth of burial needed to prevent freezing. The customer is responsible for thawing and repairing all water lines and plumbing within the house. As always, make sure you and your family knows the location and how to shut off the main water line valve in case a pipe bursts.