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Billing Information • Water Meter Information • Helpful Tips • FAQ's
Helpful Tips
Valve Location • Household Plumbing • Conservation • Preventing Leaks
Household Plumbing
Your plumbing includes all of the pipes and fixtures on your property, from the meter or valve near the street to the faucets inside your home. Here are a few important components to be familiar with:
Main Shut-off Valve - This valve is normally located where the water line enters your home through the foundation. It can be used to shut the water off in an emergency or when plumbing improvements are being made. It can also be turned off while the property is vacant to prevent water damage that unforeseen leaks might cause. To make sure this valve works properly, turn it off and verify that the water flow to your fixtures has stopped completely. When the valve is turned back on, it should be opened fully to allow unrestricted water flow.
Pressure Reducing Valve - Most houses built after 1972 are equipped with a pressure reducing valve (PRV), which is normally located near the main water valve. PRVs are usually bell-shaped devices, approximately 4" in length that are designed to keep the water pressure inside your home from exceeding a set limit. This helps prevents "knocking" in pipes and other stresses caused by high pressure.
Service Line – Moving water from the water main in the street to your kitchen sink is the job of your service line. The Water Service Connection Drawing shows the components of the water service. The water main is buried 3 to 4 feet deep in the street to prevent the water from freezing in winter. A corporation (corp.) stop is connected directly to the water main. The corp. stop is actually a modified valve that allows the Authority to turn the water off at the water main in the event of a leak in the service line. The service line, usually ¾ inch copper, is attached to the corp. stop, and the service line runs to the property line where it is attached to a curb stop. The curb stop is another modified valve that can be used to shut off the service without having to dig up the pavement in the street over the water main. The homeowner is responsible for repairing or replacing a leaking service line if the leak is between the curb box and the house.
Cross Connection and Backflow Prevention - A cross connection is a plumbing connection between a drinking water supply and water that is not for human consumption. An example of a cross connection would be any situation where these two sources of water, such as water from a sprinkler system, have the potential to flow together. Backflow or water flowing from a building into the main water supply lines can occur when a drop in water pressure in the distribution system allows water to flow from the building back into the main distribution system. To prevent this, backflow prevention devices should be installed. Authority staff is trained and certified to recognize cross connections and install backflow prevention devices when necessary. All new construction in the Authority’s service area is required to have backflow prevention devices to prevent the possibility of backflow into the Authority’s distribution system. |
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