The City of Seward has released a public notice regarding water lines freezing.
According to Seward Public Works Director Doug Schoessler, if you have a history of you’re water freezing, residents will want to keep their water running, even just a little bit.
“It keeps it from freezing and you don’t need a lot. It’s, you know, even a pencil lead, like a #2 pencil lead size or right in that area. So you don’t overdo it, just turn the tap on so you have a little bit of water going and it keeps the water flowing through your pipe so it doesn’t freeze,” said Schoessler.
If your line does happen to freeze, it is reminded that the City of Seward does not provide services of thawing frozen service lines.
Options for pipe thawing are either using steam to thaw the frozen water or to contact a welder and have them thaw out your pipes.
The customer is responsible for hiring and paying for a thawing service.
As the Kenai Peninsula has been reaching negative temperatures, it’s not unheard of for water to freeze.
The City of Soldotna does have similar rules to Seward in regard to recommendations and company policy.
Like Seward, if your water has frozen in the past, it is recommended you run your water through April 30th. Again, the thickness of the water equates to a No.2 pencil lead.
In the event of a frozen water line, it is asked that customers contact the City of Soldotna if they need help locating their key box and thaw wire.
The customer is, once again, responsible for hiring and paying for a thawing service to thaw their service line. The customer will assume all risks and liabilities of using a pipe-thawing company.
When it comes to choosing a pipe to have constant water flowing, be sure to choose a fixture or the lowest point in an area that will cause minimal damage to the home if the sewer backs up. Be sure to monitor the flow of the water, as to ensure that it does not cause a backup in your home.
If your line freezes as a result of the main line freezing, the City of Soldotna will assume the costs associated with thawing your service.
Contrary to popular belief, in Soldotna, running your water will not increase your bill unless you are a metered customer. If you happen to be a metered customer, the city will make arrangements with you as long as the city is notified in advance.
However, any charges that occur before notification are payable by the customer.