Are you ready for winter?
Cooler temperatures have us already getting ready for our Texas winter, and the best way to prepare for maybe an emergency is to get ahead of it -- right now.
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) provided tips on how to prepare for a potential winter water emergency.
1) Turn off your water.
Know how to turn off the water supply to your house during an emergency or when you’re leaving on vacation. This can help you avoid water damage from leaking pipes, dripping water heaters, frozen pipes or other causes.
2) Know your pipes.
Protecting, maintaining and repairing the pipes on your property can help you avoid damage from leaks and save you money on your water bill.
3) Know what a boil water notice means.
In an emergency, water pressure may drop in your area or test results may show that the water isn’t safe to drink. When a boil water notice is issued and you need to use tap water, you must boil the water before drinking it, making drinks, preparing food, brushing your teeth or making ice.
4) In a water outage, know how to flush.
If you have no water service to your house and the toilet tank is empty, you can use not-so-fresh water to get the job done — from a pool, a bathtub, even melted snow. After all, it’s all going down the toilet anyway.
5) In freezing weather, be ready for rebates.
Before winter arrives, check for leaks and find out how to protect your pipes with help from a licensed plumber. SAWS will help offset the cost with a $75 credit on your bill. This offer ends on Dec. 20, 2021.
To learn more, visit saws.org/beready where you can find tools and information to help you get ready for all kinds of water-related emergencies. Plus, you’ll find water emergency tips and how-to videos from SAWS.
Watch the SA Live segment above to see how SAWS adapted after the Texas winter storm this past February.