Please adopt your neighborhood fire hydrant!
Keeping the snow shoveled around fire hydrants keeps them open for Fire Department use in case of an emergency.

The following actions are recommended to avoid problems in your house during cold weather:

1. Make sure all basement or crawl space windows and doors are closed.
    If necessary, insulate doors and windows.

2. Insulate pipes near the exterior walls or windows. Use heat tape where
                   necessary.

3. Re-open heat vents in basements or crawl spaces.

4. If water pipes are in a cabinet along an exterior wall, open
    the cabinet doors especially at night, to avoid trapping 
    cold air by the pipes.

5. Make sure all outside faucets have been shut off and
    drained.

6. Once the temperature outside drops below 20°F consistently, especially if
    there is no snow cover and the temperature is 0°F or below at night, we recommend 
    that you run a faucet at a fast drip or small stream (no larger than the diameter of a
    drinking straw). This should be the faucet closest to the meter. This will keep the
    water moving in the pipes which should keep them from freezing. This is especially
    recommended if you have had problems in the past, if your service is buried too
    shallow or if your water pipes are close to an outside wall.

7. If you are traveling, have someone check your home for frozen pipes and to
    make sure that the heat is working while you are gone. If you are going to be
    traveling for longer periods of time, you may want to turn your water off at the
    main shut off valve in the basement. This way if your heat does stop working 
                       and your pipes freeze the water will not continually spray.

8. If the house/building will be vacant, but the heat will be on, have someone check
    periodically for frozen pipes and to make sure that the heat is working. You may want to
    turn your water off at the main shut off valve in the basement. This way if your heat does
    stop working and your pipes freeze the water will not continually spray.

9. If the house/building will be vacant and the heat will be off, we would recommend
    winterizing the home/building. If assistance is needed with winterizing, we would
    recommend consulting a licensed plumber. The water department will turn the water off at
    the street and remove the meter if necessary. There is a charge for turning the water back
    on and reinstalling the meter. Please contact the water department for current pricing.

The Water Department will turn the water off at the curb for a leaking service, at the homeowner’s expense. There may be additional charges if the water meter freezes and breaks or for any other assistance or repairs needed per Public Service Commission Schedule X-1 "Repairs to Meters" as stated below:

Repairs to Meters

Meters will be repaired by the water utility, and the cost of such repairs caused by ordinary wear and tear will be borne by the water utility.

Repair of any damage to a meter resulting from the carelessness of the owner of the premises, owner's agent, or tenant, or from the negligence of any one of them to properly secure and protect same, including any damage that may result from allowing a water meter to become frozen or to be damaged from the presence of hot water or steam in the meter, shall be paid for by the customer or the owner of the premises.

The Water Department may be contacted during our regular business hours of 7:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Monday-Friday at (920)262-4075. For after hour emergencies, please contact the Police Department at (920)261-6660. They will page our personnel.