"Stop Dripping"
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https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/17/texas-water-boil-notices/
After enduring multiple days of freezing temperatures and Texans dripping faucets to prevent frozen pipes from bursting, cities across the state warned Wednesday that water levels are dangerously low, and it may be unsafe to drink.
First Texans lost their power. Now, they’re losing their potable water.
After enduring multiple days of freezing temperatures and Texans dripping faucets to prevent frozen pipes from bursting, cities across the state warned residents on Wednesday that water levels are dangerously low and may be unsafe to drink. They’re telling Texans to boil tap water for drinking, cooking, brushing their teeth and for making ice — as residents have been struggling to maintain power and heat while an unprecedented winter storm whips across the state. While activities such as showering and doing laundry are safe, cities under water boil notices are asking people to conserve water if at all possible.
Approximately 590 public water systems in 141 Texas counties have reported disruptions in service, affecting nearly 12 million people as of late Wednesday afternoon, according to a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokesperson.
“Water pressure is very low. Please do not run water to keep pipes from bursting,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted Wednesday morning. “Turn off water if pipes have burst. Please contact us if you don’t know how to turn off water. Be conservative on water usage today. It is needed for hospitals and fires.”
Austin Mayor Steve Adler on Wednesday afternoon acknowledged that dripping faucets was the correct guidance earlier this week, but now it’s in people’s best interest to “shift gears and conserve water.” The city is also calling for volunteers who can help transport people from their homes to warming centers.
“#AustinWater is asking customers in southwest #Austin and Lost Creek neighborhood to boil their water prior to using it for drinking or cooking, until further notice,” Austin Water tweeted. “This boil water notice is currently in specific areas and is a precautionary measure to ensure the health and safety of our customers.”
Hours later, Austin Water issued a citywide notice that residents should boil their water, KUT reported.
The city of Arlington also issued a notice asking residents to boil water before consumption. Corpus Christi did, too.
For now, it’s unclear when cities will be able to lift their water boil notices.
OK, color me ignorant. If dripping the faucet prevents pipes from bursting...
Well, I'll take the inconvenience of boiling water over the damage caused by a burst pipe any day.
Been there, done that.
"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08
The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.
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https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/17/texas-water-boil-notices/
After enduring multiple days of freezing temperatures and Texans dripping faucets to prevent frozen pipes from bursting, cities across the state warned Wednesday that water levels are dangerously low, and it may be unsafe to drink.
First Texans lost their power. Now, they’re losing their potable water.
After enduring multiple days of freezing temperatures and Texans dripping faucets to prevent frozen pipes from bursting, cities across the state warned residents on Wednesday that water levels are dangerously low and may be unsafe to drink. They’re telling Texans to boil tap water for drinking, cooking, brushing their teeth and for making ice — as residents have been struggling to maintain power and heat while an unprecedented winter storm whips across the state. While activities such as showering and doing laundry are safe, cities under water boil notices are asking people to conserve water if at all possible.
Approximately 590 public water systems in 141 Texas counties have reported disruptions in service, affecting nearly 12 million people as of late Wednesday afternoon, according to a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokesperson.
“Water pressure is very low. Please do not run water to keep pipes from bursting,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted Wednesday morning. “Turn off water if pipes have burst. Please contact us if you don’t know how to turn off water. Be conservative on water usage today. It is needed for hospitals and fires.”
Austin Mayor Steve Adler on Wednesday afternoon acknowledged that dripping faucets was the correct guidance earlier this week, but now it’s in people’s best interest to “shift gears and conserve water.” The city is also calling for volunteers who can help transport people from their homes to warming centers.
“#AustinWater is asking customers in southwest #Austin and Lost Creek neighborhood to boil their water prior to using it for drinking or cooking, until further notice,” Austin Water tweeted. “This boil water notice is currently in specific areas and is a precautionary measure to ensure the health and safety of our customers.”
Hours later, Austin Water issued a citywide notice that residents should boil their water, KUT reported.
The city of Arlington also issued a notice asking residents to boil water before consumption. Corpus Christi did, too.
For now, it’s unclear when cities will be able to lift their water boil notices.
OK, color me ignorant. If dripping the faucet prevents pipes from bursting...
Well, I'll take the inconvenience of boiling water over the damage caused by a burst pipe any day.
Been there, done that.
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Perhaps they mean to shut the water off at the main, not just the tap. Shut it off at the main and drain the pipes, just like snowbirds do before heading ... to Texas.
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Should be in your basement right at the water metre.
Elbows up!
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@renauda said in "Stop Dripping":
Should be in your basement right at the water metre.
There are no basements down here.
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@renauda said in "Stop Dripping":
Should be in your basement right at the water metre.
There are no basements down here.
Okay. Then the shut off should right at where the water line enters the house.
I changed ours up a couple years ago and went to a ball valve. The old style needle valve just before the metre would not close completely any more. The line into the old valve was soft copper and line out was into rigid. Saved a ton of money by putting in the ball valve into the rigid copper behind the old metre (which is no longer used anyway).
Elbows up!
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@renauda said in "Stop Dripping":
Should be in your basement right at the water metre.
At the Cheddarshack
, the pipe that burst was on an outside wall (in the laundry room) on the main floor. That pipe led to the basement utility room where the main shutoff was. Shutting off the main would have not helped our situation. Probably irrelevant to the issue is that we also had well water, not municipal. -
Okay. Then the shut off should right at where the water line enters the house.
I changed ours up a couple years ago and went to a ball valve. The old style needle valve just before the metre would not close completely any more. The line into the old valve was soft copper and line out was into rigid. Saved a ton of money by putting in the ball valve into the rigid copper behind the old metre (which is no longer used anyway).
@renauda said in "Stop Dripping":
Okay. Then the shut off should right at where the water line enters the house.
I changed ours up a couple years ago and went to a ball valve. The old style needle valve just before the metre would not close completely any more. The line into the old valve was soft copper and line out was into rigid. Saved a ton of money by putting in the ball valve into the rigid copper behind the old metre (which is no longer used anyway).
That's about all you can do. And many times the valve at the house is underground, so you have to dig it up and hope that it will turn. Most often, you have to turn it off at the meter. That usyally requires a special wrench or at least a 12" crescent and a decent sized screwdriver through the hole in the handle for leverage.
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