Homeowners - City of Fort Wayne

Cold Weather Precautions

Protect Water Meters and Pipes from Freezing Temperatures

When outdoor temperatures drop below freezing (32°Fahrenheit) and especially if temperatures fall below zero, you may need to take precautions to protect your water meter and the water pipes inside your home from freezing. Water pipes in basements, unheated crawl spaces, and outside walls may be especially prone to freezing. Here are some tips to protect yourself against potentially costly plumbing issues.

Finding and Fixing Water Leaks

Water leaks in you home or business can be annoying and costly. The sound of a faucet dripping or a toilet running in the night can mean your hard earned dollars are slipping away down a drain. A water leak as small as a pinhead can waste about 25,000 gallons of water a month. That could mean an additional water and sewer cost of $130 on your City Utilities' bill with no benefit to you.

Reducing Pollution at Home

In The House

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Purchase household and garden products that are the least toxic to the environment.
When using chemicals, detergents and pesticides, use only the amount recommended by the manufacturer and use them according to the directions. Avoid overruns onto hard surfaces like sidewalks and driveways.
Properly dispose of Household Hazardous Waste.

Recipes for Greener Cleaning

Common household products such as vinegar, ammonia and baking soda can be used alone or in various combinations to create effective cleaning solutions that are more environmentally friendly than come commercially available products. Home-made products may also cost less.

Preparing for Heavy Precipitation

Heavy rainfall or melting of a thick layer of snow can cause flooding, sewer backups, and drainge issues on individual properties or in neighborhoods. These events highlight the importance of taking steps ahead of time to be prepared for extremely wet weather.

Cleaning Up After a Flood or Sewer Backup

Having a flood or sewer backup into your home is an experience everyone would like to avoid. There are things you can do to protect your family and your home as well as steps you should take if you do have this unfortunate experience. The following safety measures will help reduce the risk of your family and pets contradicting diseases associated flood or sewage-contaminated waters.

Backflow Prevention and Cross Connection Control

City Utilities has created a new page with information and resources specifically for Certified Backflow Device Testers. Click here to find Resources for Backflow Testers.....

Preventing potentially contaminated water from being siphoned back into City Utilities' drinking water distribution system is essential for the protection of public health and welfare. Indiana Administrative Code 327 IAC 8-10 and Fort Wayne City Code Chapter 52 regulate backflow and cross connections in the Fort Wayne drinking water system. All backflow prevention devices must conform with 327 IAC 8-10-7.