Waterlines: Winter-Spring 2006

Download

Get This Issue of Waterlines as a PDF

Are Your Pipes Ready for Cold Weather?

To make sure your homes plumbing is ready for the winter months, here are a few suggestions to avoid frozen water pipes and meters. If you have questions, call customer service at 562-4020.

Don’t turn the heat down too low in the basement.
Fill holes in doors, windows and walls near meters and pipes. Ensure that the crawl spaces are sealed tight.
Regularly check insulation for dampness.
Be sure meter vault covers are not cracked. If the meter is installed outside the home, it is housed inside a covered vault. Please check to be sure that the vault cover is not cracked and is secure.
If the building will be empty, have the water turned off, the pipes drained and the water meter removed.

What’s your backup plan to fix your home’s sewer line? If this is it, think again.

“It only took one phone call to fix my problem. I didn’t have to use the phone book and gamble on finding someone honest to help me. I called you people and my problem was gone within hours. Thank you.” A. Badamo, Hamden

Sign up for PipeSafe Plus Sewer Line Protection. It’s a one-call rescue. You’ve trusted us as water experts to quickly repair broken or leaking water service lines. With PipeSafe Plus Sewer Line Protection, we’re offering the same security to customers facing problems with their sewer lines. The cost for this program is only $40 annually.

Making one call to get an expert response to your plumbing emergency saves time and money. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s a note from a Hamden customer who used the program.

If you want information or would like to sign up for PipeSafe Plus Sewer Line Protection, call us at 866-814-0820.

Cross-Connections

Local businesses like dry cleaners, hair salons, hospitals, dentists, and car washes are a few of the industries required to install backflow prevention devices to prevent drinking water from becoming contaminated by chemicals. Even the outside hose connection on your home is a potential cross-connection.

Backflow is the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any source or sources other than their intended source. A cross-connection is any actual or potential connection between the public water supply and a source or system through which it is possible to introduce into the water system any contamination or polluting agent.

Anytime there is a connection between a water system and a piece of equipment like a commercial boiler, or a chemical process involving a water system, the potential exists for this water-chemical mixture to flow back into the potable water system. This can happen under certain conditions like a drop in water pressure in the water main in the street from a nearby open hydrant. Local, state and national health codes prohibit contaminated sources from entering the public water supply through cross-connections. To prevent backflow in plumbing systems, the Connecticut Public Health Code requires backflow prevention devices to be installed in specific locations in the drinking water system.

Annually, the Authority inspects over 3500 commercial, industrial, residential, and health facilities. We examine the plumbing connections and test the backflow preventers to make sure they operate as required by the Department of Public Health.

What Portion of the Service is the RWA’s Responsibility?

We are responsible for the maintenance of the portion of the water service from the water main in the street to the curb valve in front of your home. If a problem develops in our part of the system, we will fix it. If a leak or break occurs between your house and the curb valve, then it is your responsibility to fix it. Our PipeSafe Water Line program can protect you from having to pay for repairs to your water service line.

RWA Responsibility

Remote receptacle: A small box mounted on the exterior of your house. Allows us to get meter readings without entering the premise. We own this receptacle.

Water Mains: More than 1,500 miles of water mains carry water to customers’ taps. We own and maintain our mains.

Service Connection: We maintain part of the pipe that runs from the water main to your home. This is the section of pipe from the main to the curb valve. The tap is part of this connection.

Curb Valve: Located underground, this is the valve that controls flow of water to your home. We maintain it.

Homeowner Responsibility

Curb box and its cover: Protects the curb valve.

Service line: Pipe that runs between curb box and your home.

Cellar valve: Inside home, this valve turns the water coming into the house on and off.

Water meter: Records amount of water used inside the home. Although owned by RWA, you are responsible for damages caused by freezing, hot water, vandalism or other external causes.