Water Service Disruptions

In the event of a water main break or other water service issue, Wyoming Water Works will attempt to notify affected property owners via telephone, email, Nixle, or other social media networks to inform them of outages and time estimates. A boil water advisory will be issued in extreme cases (see below). Roadway access/closure information will also be relayed, as necessary. Upon notice, residents should immediately complete any water use activities and may want to set aside a gallon or two of water to have on hand. Remember, in the event of a water outage, each toilet will only flush one time.

After the initial time estimate, Wyoming Water Works typically will not issue a “Water Back in Service” notice. We ask that residents check their service occasionally during the outage and, when water is restored, follow the suggested procedures below:

If/when there is a water main break that causes part of the water system to depressurize, the City of Wyoming may issue a precautionary Boil Water Advisory to water customers located within the affected area(s) per EPA requirements. The Water Boiling advisory is typically issued using door hangers. Unless noted otherwise, the boil water advisory is precautionary because of the possibility of bacterial contamination. See the Boil Water Advisory tab for more information.

After the water is restored, Wyoming Water Works will flush the affected water main(s) for water clarity and safety. Then, we will monitor for chlorine residual and, in some cases, sample for bacteriological contamination. Wyoming Water Works recommends that property owners in the main break shutdown area also flush their internal plumbing fixtures to remove any potential contaminants (i.e., lead) that may have resulted from the main break. This will also clear up any discolored or brown water (due to iron). We recommend that you flush your service line from an outside faucet first until it clears up. Then proceed to flush all inside faucets or fixtures. This entire procedure should take no more than 5-10 minutes, depending on the number of fixtures. We also recommend refraining from washing laundry within 24 hours of the repair.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

As a standard practice, the USEPA recommends the following actions to reduce possible lead exposure in drinking water:

• If water has not been used for several hours, run the tap until there is a noticeable temperature drop. Then, run water for 30 seconds to 3 minutes before using it for drinking and cooking. This helps flush water that may have contained lead that may have leached from the plumbing
• Use cold water for cooking, drinking, and preparing baby formula. Boiling the water will not reduce lead
• Clean your faucet aerator regularly

For additional information visit the Drink Tap Website or Environmental Protection Agency Website.