ATER WORDSwww.scbwa.

fall 2014

State College Borough Water Authority

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WHAT TO DO IF...

Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00AM to 4:30PM, call our office at (814) 238-6766. At any other time call the Centre County Communications non-emergency number at (800) 479-0050 and they will contact our personnel.

We accept credit card payments over the phone or you can visit our website at www.scbwa.org and use our online payment option.

High consumption may be due to additional people in the house, summertime watering, a leak, etc. All faucets, toilets, water softeners, etc., should be checked immediately and a qualified plumber called if a leak is suspected. You may always call the Water Authority office for advice on ways to locate water leaks.

You may not have water due to several reasons. There may be a main break in the area, improvements to the water system are being performed, or turned off for a violation of the Rules and Regulations of the Authority.

you are out of town and your payment is due?

you see an unusual amount of waterrunning down the street?

your consumption is higher than usual?

you don’t have water?

CheCk for Leaks

Frozen pipes and water meters are not uncommon over the winter months and can result in high consumption and cost, as well as causing a lot of damage to your home and/or property. Checking your water meter on a weekly basis is a great way to stay on top of leaks. If all water in your home is off, the meter shouldn’t be running. If it is, try to pinpoint the problem area. First check toilets, the most common household leak, by doing a color dye test. Place a few drops of food coloring in the tank of your toilet and walk away for 20 minutes to a half hour. If the color bleeds out into the toilet bowl during this time, you have a leak. Did you know toilets don’t always make a sound when leaking? If it is the toilet, turn off the valve behind the toilet and check your meter again. If the meter has stopped running, you have found your leak. Even after you pinpoint the leak, you should contact a plumber ASAP for repairs.

Contribute to Your and Your Community’s Safety...Take a minute this winter to locate the fire hydrant closest to your home or business. We make it a priority to quickly shovel out the most critical hydrants after a snow storm; however, with over 1,200 hydrants, we can’t complete the job alone. We ask that you help protect your and your neighbors’ homes and businesses by helping to shovel out the hydrant closest to you. In an emergency, those few extra minutes saved in locating a fire hydrant can be crucial.

in Your home

WATER FACT

Help prevent Unnecessary costs tHis Winter...and Winterize Your PipesFailure to properly winterize the pipes in your home could cause costly repairs and high consumption costs. BeFore outdoor temperatures reach the Freezing point, take a Few minutes to properly winterize your home.

the costly repair expenses that can result From Frozen pipes and meters Far exceed the time it takes to winterize your home.

* Winterize your outdoor faucets. remove hoses or nozzles, turn off the valve and drain the faucet. draining outdoor faucets reduces the risk of Water freezing inside the pipes, causing pipes to expand and break. be sure to check all faucets in the spring once the valves are turned back on.* seal off doors, air vents and cracks that alloW Winter Winds to enter and quickly freeze Water pipes and meters.

* insulate pipes located in unheated areas such as craWl spaces and garages. don’t insulate underneath the meter settings in a meter pit. this prevents the natural Warmth of the ground from reaching the meter.

* if you leave for long periods of time, remember to set your thermostat to at least 60 degrees and alWays have someone that can check your vacation or rental homes When you are aWay. if possible, open doors to cabinets under sinks to alloW the Warm air to reach the pipes.

Did you know that recycling helps to CONSERVE water? We all know recycling reduces landfill waste, reduces pollution, reduces the need for natural elements (such as trees), conserves energy and oil/coal. We never think about the amount of water that is conserved from recycling. Recycled products use up to 50% less water to produce than non-recycled products.

2014 COLLEGE AVENUEWATERLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

The State College Borough Water Authority’s largest project of 2014, the College Avenue Waterline Replacement Project - Phase II, was a success. All waterline and service line connections on College Avenue from University Drive through Atherton Street have now been replaced.

College Avenue from University Drive through Hiester Street have been completed in prior years and Hiester Street through Atherton Street have recently been completed in August of 2014. The former

line was over 100 years old, making the replacement of this waterline crucial to the upkeep of our water system’s infrastructure.

We’d like to thank local downtown merchants, consumers, bypassers and visitors for your

patience and cooperation throughout the duration of this project. We also thank all local entities and

organizations who have contributed to making this project safe and successful for everyone.