In the event of a burst pipe, make sure you know the location of your master water shutoff valve.  in many homes it’s where the water line enters the house from the street. If a pipe bursts anywhere in the house – kitchen, bath, basement or crawl space – this valve turns off all water and will save damage inside the home. Paint the valve a bright color or hang a tag on it to make it easier to find.  Be sure everyone in the household knows where it is and what it does.

The following are guidelines recommended by TMWA to ensure your safety and reduce your frustration if an outage occurs.  Follow these guidelines based on TMWA’s procedures:

• Locate the water line shutoff and turn it to the “off” position (this should be easy since it’s been painted a bright color).
• Now you can also turn off your curb valve.
• If you are unable to turn off your water line valve, contact TMWA Emergency Repair Service at 834-8090.
• Water Quality Concerns (i.e. taste or odor) should be directed to TMWA at 834-8118.

Restoration Information

• How long you are without service depends on the nature of the outage.
• When you contact the Emergency Repair Service your initial outage report is processed.
• Often, it is necessary to first send a serviceman to assess the problem.  A crew will be dispatched later.
• Priority of response may be dictated by public safety concerns or if a state of emergency exists.
• The Emergency Repair Service message is updated when additional information becomes available.

Disinfection of Water

Tap water may be purified by bringing it to a rapid boil for 10 minutes.  If unable to boil tap water, an alternative would be to disinfect it by the following method:

1. Before attempting any disinfecting, first strain tap water through a clean cloth or handkerchief to remove any sediment, floating matter or glass.
2. Tap water may be disinfected with 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite solution (e.g. household bleach).  DO NOT use solutions in which there are active ingredients other than hypochlorite (e.g. scented bleach).Use the following proportions:

   Clean Tap Water:
   One Quart………………..2 drops
   One Gallon……………….8 drops
   5 Gallons…………………1/2 tsp.

   Cloudy Tap Water:
   One Quart………………..4 drops
   One Gallon……………….16 drops
   5 Gallons…………………1 tsp.

3. Mix tap water and hypochlorite thoroughly by stirring or shaking in a container.  Let stand for 30 minutes before using.  A slight chlorine odor should be detectable in the tap water.  If not, repeat dosage and let stand for an additional 15 minutes.