Jamestown (CSi) The City of Jamestown is issuing a “Water Service and Sewer Service Line freeze-up ADVISORY.”

Frost depths are approaching and exceeding six (6) feet of depth in some spots, and the City is receiving an increasing number of reports of water and sewer service line freeze-ups occurring in both residential and commercial properties in City Limits.

 Reports of  frozen lines have come from  the northeast, the southwest, the center  and the downtown areas  of Jamestown.

Reminding residents of the City of Jamestown that the service lines are their responsibility, the City offers the following advice to help prevent these freeze-ups:

 Monitor your water temperature coming into the house by running the cold water continuously for about 3-5 minutes;

 Using any commercially available thermometer, test the water temperature – holding the thermometer in the water stream until the temperature stabilizes;

 If your water temperature is around 40°F or more, you should not have to take any special precautions unless you are planning on being away from home for several days;

 If your water temperature is 38°F to 40°F or less, you should consider letting the water run in one sink of your home – a stream about the diameter of a pencil/pen;

 You may want to consider running the water and/or having someone check on your house/business if you are planning on being gone;

 Regardless of the temperature of your water service, you should also monitor your basement floor drains and other low-lying access points to the sanitary sewer to make sure they are running as well.

 If you should experience a freeze-up in the water or sanitary sewer service lines, please call one of the local plumbing firms to assist you in thawing out your service lines. Again, remember that by City Ordinance, the maintenance of these service lines are the responsibility of the home or business owner.

 Homeowners should be periodically testing their water for weeks to come, into the spring, with  a month or two of lag time in how quickly the ambient air temperature  affects the upper 4 to 6 or 7 feet of soil.