The City's Environmental Utilities department is urging business and residential property owners to pay attention to their water lines and prevent them from freezing. City crews continue to respond to emergency calls as frost in the ground affects water lines, and the warm weather around the corner with around the corner will not alleviate things right away. The best way to prevent freezing is to leave a tap running with a flow of about the width of a pencil. The utility cost of running a tap this way is approximately $1 per day. This is a far better alternative than requiring an emergency visit from City crews.

Frozen water lines can be costly, possibly resulting in significant repairs and water loss due to breaks or leaks. While crews are responding to emergency calls, the City advises that a plumbing company can also assist with frozen services. In addition to running a tap, other steps can be taken to ensure there is sufficient heat flow and insulation on lines adjacent to exterior walls. These include opening vanity cabinet doors and the use of heat tape. Residents are advised not to use dangerous methods such as the use of blow torches on frozen water lines.

Seasonal reminders about the protection of water lines can be found at www.medicinehat.ca/eu under Water Utilities - General Information.