treeWater Supply Issues and Emergencies

 Are you experiencing:
    Boil Water Notice or Other Alert
    Drought
    Cold Weather
    Suspicious Activities
Are you experiencing:
    Discolored Water?
    Low or No Pressure?
    High Pressure?
    Unusual Taste or Odor?
How Do We Contact You in an Emergency?



BOIL WATER NOTICE OR OTHER ALERT

Sometimes we must issue a Boil Water Advisory. This may occur if there is a large water main break in your neighborhood or if we have a mechanical problem such as an extended power outage at one of our facilities.  In the event that we need to issue a Boil Water Advisory, or some other advisory, we will contact those customers by phone and/or by a door hanger placed on your door. (See HOW DO WE CONTACT YOU IN AN EMERGENCY to change the contact number we have for you). If we need to contact a large number of customers we may also call you by phone and leave a message explaining the situation and giving you directions for more information. We may also use the media, such as local TV, radio, and newpapers to get information to you. Also, this web site will usually contain up to the minute information in an emergency.

Boiling kills bacteria and organisms in the water:

  • Bring water to a boil
  • Continue boiling for 3-5 minutes
  • Let water cool before using

 To avoid possible illness:  Use boiled or purchased bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation.


DROUGHT

During an extended drought we may ask for voluntary or mandatory water use restrictions. Although York Water has an excellent water supply, there are times when the Governor orders water reductions so that we can make sure we all have enough water to get us through the dry periods. You can check out this link to learn more about conserving water.

COLD WEATHER

Winter Tips

FIRE HYDRANT HELP
HYDRANT SNOW

A FIRE HYDRANT CAN ONLY HELP PROTECT YOU IF IT IS ACCESSIBLE. PLEASE DO NOT COVER HYDRANTS WITH SNOW AND PLEASE HELP KEEP THEM CLEAR. THANKS!



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SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES
The public water supply system is vital for many activities in our community. Although your water system has many built-in redundancies and safeguards, we all need to be on the look out for vandals, polluters, or others that may be trying to harm our water supply. If you see anything suspicious around water supply facilities you should contact our emergency number at 717-848-2984 or contact the Police at 911. Things to look out for:
- People acting suspiciously around water supply facilities.
- Large trucks dumping anything into any stream or lake.
- Unattended packages or suspicious objects near water supply facilities.

If in doubt, call us out! We don't mind responding to a false alarm!



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ARE YOU EXPERIENCING:
    DISCOLORED WATER?
Sometimes your water may appear cloudy. This could be caused a number of things:
- An open fire hydrant or large water demand in your area may have stirred up sediment in the pipes.
- A water main break in your area may have stirred up sediment in the pipes.
- The water may have air in it. If it has a white, milky appearance, it may just be air. This is sometimes due to temperature changes in the water. If you fill a glass and let it sit for a few seconds and it clears up, this is probably the problem.

In all cases, you should let the faucet run for a few minutes and see if it clears up. If it doesn't clear up, then give us a call and we'll come check it out!

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ARE YOU EXPERIENCING:
    LOW OR NO PRESSURE?

This could be due to a water main break, an open fire hydrant, or large water demand in your area. It could also be due to your water meter getting stuck or a pressure reducing valve getting stuck (these last 2 items are in your house). To troubleshoot this problem, you should do the following:
1. Check other water fixtures in the house and check both hot and cold water.
2. Turn off all of the water fixtures and see if the water meter is spinnning. If it is, then you may have a leak  in your house.
3. Perhaps check with a neighbor and see if they have the same problem.

If you still have the problem, give us a call and we'll come check it out!

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ARE YOU EXPERIENCING:
   HIGH PRESSURE?
This is pretty rare. However, if the pressure in your house is over 80 pounds per square inch (PSI), you should have a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) near the water meter. This PRV is your poperty. It may need adjustment, or it may need to be repaired or replaced. You should contact a plumber if you need assistance with the PRV.


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ARE YOU EXPERIENCING:
    UNUSUAL TASTE OR ODOR?
Sometimes your water may have an unusual taste or odor. This could be caused a number of things:
- An open fire hydrant or large water demand in your area may have stirred up sediment in the pipes.
- A water main break in your area may have stirred up sediment in the pipes.
- The water may have air in it. If it has a white, milky appearance, it may just be air. This is sometimes due to temperature changes in the water. If you fill a glass and let it sit for a few seconds and it clears up, this is probably the problem.
- You should also check the water at several faucets and check hot and cold water. Sometimes the source of the problem is your hot water heater.

In all cases, you should let the faucet run for a few minutes and see if the problem goes away. If it doesn't, then give us a call and we'll come check it out!


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HOW DO WE CONTACT YOU IN AN EMERGENCY?
When you signed up for water service you probably provided us with a telephone number. If we need to contact a large number of customers we may call you by phone and leave a message explaining the situation and giving you directions for more information. We may also use the media, such as local TV, radio, and newpapers to get information to you. If we only need to contact a limited number of customers, we may knock on your door and place a door hanger placed on your door knob explaining the situation. Also, this web site will usually contain up to the minute information in an emergency.

If you would like to update or change the phone number or provide us with an e-mail address, click here for an on-line form!



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