The coldest days of winter are upon us and that means freezing temperatures that can affect your water supply. Taking a few simple precautions now can make all the difference in preventing your pipes from freezing and possibly bursting. Chester Water Authority recommends that you take the followng steps today to help safeguard your water supply.

• Disconnect all hoses from outside faucets.
• Eliminate drafts. Check around the home for areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas and take measures to prevent the flow of cold air in these areas.
•  Insulate or wrap all pipes and faucets in unheated areas (especially in your crawlspace, garage, or under an open porch or in a cabinet against an uninsulated outside wall).
•  Check now to find your master water shutoff valve so you can turn it off if a pipe leaks.

If you have had problems in the past when the temperature becomes severely cold, just let the water run about half the diameter of a wooden pencil continuously in the affected pipe. This may save you a lot of trouble and will keep your water pipe from freezing.

If your water pipes do freeze, never try to thaw a pipe with an open flame or torch. If you pipes do freeze, contact our Customer Service Department at 610.876.8181 or 1.800.793.2323.

Make sure you have the telephone number of a reliable plumber.