Waterline Main Breaks

What to do When a Waterline Main Breaks

Although water main breaks are rare, they do occur from time to time. When they do happen, we immediately send our crews out to the leak and work until the leak is fixed. Water can sometimes be re-routed to minimize impacts. However, re-routing water can take time, it’s not as easy as “flipping a switch”. There may be an interruption of your water service. The best thing to do is be patient, leave faucets turned off, and avoid the area where the leak occurs, if possible. Once the leak has been repaired, there may be air and/or sediment in your water system, which may cause discolored water. The water is still treated and is safe to drink.


To remove the discoloration

  • Run your bathtub water on cold for about two minutes or until the water is clear. If the bathtub water is clear, the sediment has passed.
  • Once the sediment has passed, run the water in all of your baths and showers for 5 minutes. Run each faucet inside and outside your home for at least one minute.
  • If the water is still discolored, wait for about 20 minutes and repeat the process.
  • Do not do laundry during a water main leak. When the leak is fixed, the next load of laundry should be dark colors. Light laundry might be stained by discolored water that may still be in the pipes.

Emergency Water Sources both in the home and out can be found when water service is disrupted.

Sources in the home

  • Ice cubes, as long as they were frozen with untainted water.
  • Water heater — To drain water from the tank, first turn off gas or electricity to the tank. Second, open the valve at the top of the tank or turn on a hot water faucet somewhere in the house. Put a clean container under the tap at the bottom of the water heater and fill as needed.
  • Juices, sodas and other drinks you already have in your house.

Sources outdoor

If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources once they are disinfected:

  • Rainwater
  • Streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water
  • Ponds and lakes
  • Natural springs

Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color.

Use saltwater only if you distill it first. You should never drink floodwater.

  • Boiling water for at least 5 minutes
  • Using bleach: use 8 drops of unscented household bleach per 1 gallon of water if the water is clear. If the water is cloudy, use 16 drops of bleach per gallon. Mix well and let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Use water purification tablets according to the instructions on the bottle. Disinfected water can be used for one week if stored in a clean, closed container.

Having essential supplies on hand will make you and your family prepared for emergencies, whenever they might come.