Preparation is key when it comes to emergencies. Knowing what to do in case of a water emergency can keep a small inconvenience from turning into a costly nightmare. Review these emergency scenarios with all your family members and practice them together.
Leaks Inside or Outside the House
In case of an emergency, such as a burst pipe, quickly close the main water shut-off valve to prevent costly flood damage. Your main water shut-off valve controls all of the water coming into your house. Everyone in your home should know where the valve is, and know how to turn it off. It’s often located near the water meter, inside the water meter pit. (Learn how to find and/or install a houseline shut-off valve.)
After you’ve closed your shut-off valve, contact a licensed plumber as soon as possible. We advise keeping the telephone number of a plumber on hand. If any damage occurs you may want to contact your insurance company.
Remember: Do not touch wet electrical fittings. If leaking water comes into contact with electrical outlets or wires, do not go anywhere near it. Turn off the power to those devices at the circuit panel and call a licensed electrician to assist you with electrical systems.
No Tap Water
We take great pride in the service we provide to you. On rare occasions when we must interrupt your water service to improve or maintain the system, we notify you in person or by door notice of the hours planned for the interruption.
We make every effort to avoid inconveniencing our customers with water shutoffs, but sometimes these circumstances are out of our control. We don’t know when a water main might break or when electricity may go out at your water plant. If you do not receive a notice of planned temporary service interruption from us and little or no water is running from your tap, contact our customer service department immediately and our representative will assist you.
Disaster Situations
In the event of a major disaster (like a hurricane or an earthquake), we strive to supply our valued customers with up-to-date information and advice. During a crisis, you can obtain information by calling our customer service department. We may post updates and other information on our website, and we also work with local media to broadcast bulletins on radio and television. Always follow the advice carefully. Please know that during any emergency, SouthWest Water employees are responding to the situation as fast as possible.
