DECATUR, Ill. — The City of Decatur is reporting that multiple emergency incidents during the recent cold snap have temporarily delayed water services in Decatur.
City officials said water crews have responded to an “uncharacteristic number” of emergencies since Friday as a result of the cold weather. The freezing conditions have caused 15+ water main breaks and over 100 meters of pipes burst at customers’ homes.
The city said Water Services expect to see more emergencies arising as temperatures rise. They said that as pipes thaw they could potentially see more leaks are expected. As crews continue to respond to these emergencies, general functions such as turning on and off home water services and meter checks will be delayed temporarily.
At this time, the city asks for patience as they respond to emergencies first before returning to general functions. They said if you find a busted pipe or need emergency service, 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.
The City shared general tips to help avoid frozen pipes and water emergencies:
- Keep your heat at a reasonable temperature both during the day and at night.
- If you are away from your home, the temperature should be set no lower than 55 degrees.
- 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 the water off at the incoming shut-off valve and flushing your pipes.
They also thank the community for their patience and understanding and said that Water Services will resume normal functions as soon as they can.
