(FAQ) Frequently Asked Questions …
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Yes, your water is safe to drink. The cloudiness is simply air. Air-bound
water is most frequently seen when the water temperature is colder than the
ambient air. This effect may be enhanced when an aerator is attached to the
faucet’s tap. The presence of air-bound water is not harmful and no action needs
to be taken to correct this phenomenon.
This is probably due to rust within your internal plumbing at your residence.
We suggest you let the water run for a few minutes, until it clears, before use.
Call the water department at 851-4704 or 851-4747. We will check to see if
work is being done in your neighborhood. Often, when a nearby hydrant is being
used, or vibration from construction activity is occurring, the flow of water in
the main is upset or interrupted. This may cause minerals deposited on the walls
of the main, to detach and become suspended in the water.
We suggest that you, and your neighbors, run the water for a time. The greater
the water usage in your area, the faster the minerals deposited in your water
will clear. If possible, run the water from the cold-water tap closest to your
water meter. This may prevent these minerals from traveling to other faucets
farther along your water pipes. Once the water clears, it may be necessary to
remove, and clean any aerators that are attached to you faucets.
This has nothing to do with water being delivered to your household. This in
mildew caused by room temperature, facility usage and lighting. We suggest a
chlorine-based bowl cleaner, and more ventilation during showers.
Let’s do a quick test to see what these particles are. Collect some of these
particles and place them in a small cup. Slowly and carefully pour a small
amount of household vinegar in this cup. If these particles dissolve in the
vinegar, they are probably mineral deposits. It is quite natural to see small
amounts of minerals coming from your water pipes.
But
If the particles do not dissolve in vinegar, they may be plastic coming from the
“dip tube” in your hot water tank. This broken down “dip tube” material closely
resembles mineral deposits, but are much more abundant. When the plastic “dip
tube” in a hot water tank begins to disintegrate it may wreak havoc in your
plumbing. You will eventually notice a loss of hot water pressure, along with
blocked aerators and hoses. The “dip tube” or perhaps the entire hot water tank
may need to be replaced.
You may have dry skin, or any number of different skin ailments (e.g. eczema), that become irritated when in contact with water. Water does not create these ailments, but the ailments may become worse when it comes in contact with water because instead of hydrating the skin, water may draw moisture away from your skin. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist regarding a remedy.
During the end of summer through fall you may notice a foul taste and odor in your water. This is an after taste do to the presence of algae in Lake Erie. We do remove, filter and disinfect algae in the production of finished water, but often the aftertaste will remain (see Aesthetic Qualities for details). Despite the taste & odor, your water is perfectly safe to consume. We suggest you place a container of water in your refrigerator. The colder the water, the less noticeable the taste.
Tap water contains residual chlorine to keep it disinfected. This residual chlorine is deadly to fish. Before adding tap water to a fish tank it is necessary to dechlorinate the water. This can be achieved by adding a dechlorination agent, available at any pet supply store. You can also collect a quantity of water in an open container, and allow the chlorine to dissipate naturally.
This is a normal smell when using tap water. We add chlorine to water to keep
it disinfected. At certain times of the year the chlorine smell is more
noticeable. This is especially apparent when the water temperature is warmer
than air temperature.
Chorine, like all gases, will travel from a warm environment to a colder one.
This phenomenon is the driving force of lake effect snow as well as chlorine gas
in water.
If you find the chlorine smell objectionable, try placing a container of
water in your refrigerator overnight. The chlorine will escape and the
chlorine odor will be gone. This water should be kept in your refrigerator
because it will no longer have chlorine in it to keep it disinfected.
You must fill out a disconnect request and pay the turn off fee at our
Customer Service office at 281 Exchange Street (or request a disconnect request
be mailed or faxed to you). Before the billing can be inactivated the meter must
be removed. If you are a flat rate customer, your account will be researched
back to the turn off date, and a new bill will be issued, if appropriate.
Note: Water turned off for repairs or nonpayment, are not considered disconnect
requests, and will not be treated as such.
Per city ordinance, whenever a water meter is placed in a property, it is the owner’s responsibility to prevent the water meter from freezing. Examples to prevent water meters from freezing are placing insulation around the meter, or making sure the meter area is heated or away from drafts.
There will be an “E” next to the reading on your bill if the meter has not been read. The meter reading should only be estimated when the meter reader is unable to obtain a reading due to access problems or touchpad malfunction. Customers should be referred to the Meter Shop to investigate estimated readings.
Although everyone is different, the average household should be using approximately four thousand cubic feet (4000 ft3) per person per year), which is about 30,000 gallons per year.
Residential meters are read once every 3 months, or quarterly, yet a property owner can monitor their readings as often as they like, to prevent surprises like high water bills. The meter readings should be monitored by the owner at least monthly. In addition, all water meters have a low flow indicator located between the seven and eight on the face of the water meter. This little red triangle will be moving if water is running through the meter, if your not using water when it is moving, you should check all fixtures for leaks.
Why am I responsible for the leak in the street on my water line?
By Water Board Regulations in the City of Buffalo, the water service line from the main in the street up to and including the piping leading to the house is owned by the property owner. This is considered to be a private line from the city’s water main to the house. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain the water line and keep it in good repair.
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Who is responsible
for water service box repairs?
The homeowner is responsible for the water service box and
shut off valve. The service box and valve must be maintained and kept in good
condition and the water service valve must be accessible for operation by the
water department personnel. The water department will install new covers and
replace broken bolts when the work does not require the excavation of cement or
blacktop. The charge for this service is for the cost of material only and will
be billed to the water account for the property. (See rate chart for costs)
Why do you have
the fire hydrants running on my street?
During the summer months water personnel perform routine
maintenance on the fire hydrants. The hydrants are operated to make sure that
they are working properly. The water department also flushes sections of the
water mains to remove the build up of sediment in the pipe to improve the flow
for better fire protection and to improve water quality and pressures. While the
hydrants are being flushed you may temporarily experience low water pressure and
discolored water from the sediment that was in the pipe. If this happens run
your cold-water faucet in the basement laundry tub or faucet closest to the
incoming service for 15-20 minutes and this should clear up this problem. If
this does not take care of the problem, you can call our 24-hour emergency
number at 851-4747 for assistance.
How can I get my water shut off to my house so I can make repairs to my valves
or pipes inside?
In your house, there should be a water shut off valve that
turns off the water to the whole house. This valve is located in the water pipe
that comes up from the floor or through the wall in the front part of the
basement closest to the street. If you do not have a basement and have a crawl
space instead, the shut off valve is usually near the front part of the house or
where the water line comes up from the ground. Most houses have an access panel
outside, or a trap door in the floor to access this valve. If the water shut off
valve does not hold or the valve is broken and needs to be replaced to make the
necessary repairs, you can call our dispatch office at 851-4747 to schedule a
time for a service turn off crew to meet you on location and turn off your water
at the service box near the street. There will be a nominal charge to cover the
cost of our service crews to operate this valve.
(See rate chart for costs)
Should I have the water turned off to my house if it is going to be vacant?
If the house will be vacant for an extended period of time, or
vacant during the winter months without heat, it is a good idea to have the
water shut off at the curb valve to prevent freezing or potential flooding. If
the property owner is unable to be on location when the water is shut off or if
the service crew is unable to verify that the water is off completely, the
property owner should make sure that the water is off completely in the house.
The water pipes should be drained throughout the house to prevent frozen and
burst pipes that will cause flooding or water damage.
How
do I get my water shut off if the house is going to be vacant?
Property owners wishing not to incur water and sewer minimum
charges on a vacant property that has a meter should contact the customer
service office and request that their meter be removed and the service turned
off. The property owner will be required to complete a Notice of Request to
Discontinue Water Service, provide proof of identity by way of a valid state ID
or valid state driver’s license and pay the applicable fee. The process of
termination of service and account inactivation cannot be completed until (1)
the meter located at the property has been removed from the property, (2) the
outside shut-off valve has been turned off, (3) the fee for termination paid in
full and (4) all outstanding balances are paid in full. Property owners will
continue to receive billings until all requirements are met. You may initiate
this process in person or via fax to our Exchange Street location only.
Why wasn’t I notified that the water on the street was being shut off?
When the water is shut off for scheduled repair work to the
water mains, valves or hydrants, written notices are delivered in advance of the
shut down to all the houses that will be affected or you may be notified through
the media. Unfortunately there are times when a broken water main forces us to
perform an emergency shut down without prior notice. In the event of a water
main break, the main must be shut down quickly to minimize the flooding of
property, or further damage to the area. Whenever possible, the repair crew on
sight will walk house to house to notify affected customers about the service
interruption and information about the repairs. Most routine repair work can be
completed and service restored within 3-4 hours, although some more involved
repairs can take longer to complete.
Who is responsible for the water service failing and causing a leak when being
shut off by the city water department?
By
Water Board Regulations in the City of Buffalo, the water
service line from the main in the street up to and including the piping leading
to the house is owned by the property owner. This is considered to be a private
line from the city’s water main to the house. It is the homeowner’s
responsibility to maintain the water line and keep it in good repair. The
service box and valve must also be maintained and kept in good condition and the
water service valve must be accessible for operation by the water department
personnel. The majority of service line failures occur on older galvanized lines
that are buried and have deteriorated due to age. Due to the deteriorated
condition of these older lines the service valve may not be able to handle the
normal operation of the shut off valve and may start to leak. If a leak occurs
following the operation of the shut off valve, the homeowner must engage a
licensed plumber to repair the defective valve.
I hear a loud sound
on my water pipes, what is it?
If you hear the sound of water running and no one is using
water in the house, it could mean that you have a leak on the buried service
line leading to your home. Start by checking that there are no toilets leaking.
You can check this by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank to see if
the dye shows up in the bowl. If you have a water meter you can also check the
small red indicator on the dial to see if any water is going through the meter.
If you still believe that you have no internal leaks, you can call our 24-hour
emergency number and a service crew will come to your property to “sound” your
water service to help you to determine where the leak may be. There may be a
leak on the city water main that is not showing above ground, and getting away
in the sewer that could be the cause of the load sound. The service crew will be
able to make that determination.