Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (ERWSD) crews may be in your neighborhood for different reasons, including repairing broken pipes or installing new pipes. These activities may cause an interruption to your water service and/or a necessary water service outage.
Unscheduled or emergency water service interruptions may be communicated to customers via phone calls, door-to-door, or door hanger notification. If an unscheduled interruption occurs, District employees and contractors will be working diligently to restore service as quickly as possible.
Why do water service outages occur?
Water service outages are necessary so that we can maintain and upgrade our infrastructure. In order to do this, crews may need to turn off water service to your home or business, temporarily. ERWSD has around-the-clock staff to respond to emergency breaks or leaks. Whenever there is a water service outage, ERWSD crews work diligently to restore water service as soon as possible.
Planned Outages vs Emergency Outages
A planned outage is when there are known repairs, maintenance, or improvements to make to the distribution system and ERWSD can plan a specific date for a water outage in order to make those improvements.
An emergency outage often happens when service needs to be shut off unexpectedly for necessary repairs. These are typically caused by water main breaks, major leaks, natural disasters, or environmental conditions that disrupt or damage the infrastructure of the distribution system.
How will I be notified?
ERWSD will notify you with a door hanger at least 24 hours in advance of a planned water service outage. If there is an emergency outage, ERWSD crews will provide notice as soon as possible.
How to prepare for a water service outage
You may want to fill a bathtub containers, buckets, and jugs so that you have water throughout the day during the outage. Water from a bucket or jug can be used for hand washing, toilet flushing or for drinking or cooking needs. To flush a toilet during a water outage, pour a bucket of water into the toilet bowl all at once or fill the tank for regular flushing. Here is a short video that describes how to flush your toilet when there is a water outage.
Water service outages generally start in the morning around 8 a.m. so that crews have ample time to complete the repair. ERWSD will notify you if the outage will be longer than anticipated.
What should I do during the water outage?
Do not use water heavy appliances like ice makers, dishwashers, washing machines or sprinkler systems during a water outage. Check for running water by turning on cold water periodically.
What should I do after a water outage?
Once crews reopen valves on the water main to restore water service, you may temporarily experience low water pressure until water lines refill. A temporary outage normally entraps some air in the water distribution system, which can cause water to have a cloudy appearance. It also stirs up sediment in water mains that may briefly cause discolored water. The water is safe to drink.
To clear your pipes of entrapped air and discoloration, run cold water faucets that do not have a screen, such as those in tubs or an outside spigot. Flush your lines until the water runs clear.
Can I flush my toilet when the water is turned off?
Yes, if it is a traditional toilet with a tank. To flush, fill the tank on the back of the toilet. If you’ve set aside water in buckets or pots, you can use that to fill the tank and use the toilet. Toilets that are connected directly to plumbing in the wall and do not have tanks will not flush during an outage.
How long will my water be off?
All water outage timeframes vary depending on the work being done. ERWSD will state the estimated time for the water outage based on the work requirements. Crews and contractors will always strive to complete the work within the stated time frames. However, a longer outage may be required due to unforeseen circumstances.
For more information, call Customer Service at 970.477.5451