December 27, 2022 – Certain water services from the City of Decatur will be temporarily delayed after multiple emergency incidents during the recent freezing conditions.
City water crews have been busy responding to an uncharacteristic number of emergencies since Friday. There have been 15+ water main breaks and over 100 meters of pipes burst at customers’ homes during the recent cold snap. And as temperatures warm up, Water Services foresees more emergencies arising as pipes thaw, potentially causing more leaks.
As City crews continue to respond to these emergencies, general functions such as turning on/off water services to a home, meter checks, etc. will be delayed temporarily.
If you find a busted pipe or need emergency service, you can call water customer service at 217-424-2841, or the meter shop at 217-875-5704. The after-hours emergency line is 217-424-2831.
General tips to help avoid frozen pipes and water emergencies:
– Keep your heat at a reasonable temperature both during the day and night
– If you are away from your home, the temperature should be set no lower than 55 degrees F
– Let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. NOT fully on, just a drip or trickle to prevent pipes from freezing
– Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing
– If you are leaving your home for some time, consider shutting water off at the incoming shut off valve and flushing your pipes
