January 21, 2003
Contact: Matt Nozzolio
860-278-7850, ext. 3209
HARTFORD – During the current cold snap, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) offers its customers the following tips to prevent water pipes from freezing.
1. Insulate water pipes in any unheated areas of the basement, such as crawl spaces. Inexpensive pipe wrap is available at hardware and home supply stores.
2. Inspect your basement for broken windows or especially drafty areas.
3. Drain outside faucets by: closing the shutoff valves (usually located within 3 feet of the interior basement walls nearest the outside faucet; opening the outside faucets to drain the water from the valves to the spigots; and leaving the outside faucets open.
4. If the house will be vacant during the winter, consider hiring a qualified plumber to drain the plumbing system, even if the heat will be kept on. If you receive water from the MDC, call the Customer Service Department at 860-278-0127 so that the water can be shut off at the curb box as well.
5. If a wood- or coal-burning stove is the primary source of heat in the house, and the house has seldom-used conventional hot water heating system, occasionally turn on the hot water heat. Water left standing in a pipe or radiator, particularly near an exterior wall, can freeze during bitter cold spells.
6. If pipes freeze, slowly pour lukewarm water or use a hand-held dryer on them so that they thaw gradually. Completely open the cold water faucet near the frozen pipe. This will relieve the pressure and reduce the chance of breakage.
7. If a pipe does break, shut off the main valve nearest the water meter and call a plumber.
Cold weather also can affect the MDC’s nearly 1,500 miles of underground water mains. If you see water bubbling up from the ground or pavement, please call the MDC immediately at 278-0127. The MDC Dispatch center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and quickly sends crews to respond to emergencies.
A non-profit municipal corporation chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929, the MDC supplies water and sewer services to its eight member municipalities: Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor. The MDC also supplies treated water to the Town of Portland and portions of Glastonbury, East Granby, South Windsor and Farmington.
The MDC also operates two hydroelectric facilities and, under contract to the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority, the waste processing portion of the Mid-Connecticut trash-to-energy project. Information about the MDC can be found on its web site, www.themdc.com. The MDC is an equal opportunity employer.
# # #