▼

Water Utilities

Show All Answers

1. Why do my pipes bang or why do I have low pressure?

Every house should be equipped with a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) . This valve helps to keep the pressure within your home to a reasonable PSI (pounds per square inch). Coming into the house you should have no higher than 60psi. As a PRV gets older it can start to malfunction and either allow too much pressure into the home, which can cause pipes to start banging or toilets will start to leak. Or the opposite, it can get clogged with sediments and reduce your pressure. To check your pressure within the home you will need a pressure gauge or call your plumber to check your pressure and verify if you PRV device needs to be replace.

2. Why does my water smell like kerosene, cat urine or sulfur?

The PWMD uses Chlorine Dioxide Gas as a disinfectant at the water treatment plant. It is a good disinfectant and reduces the formation of compounds, such as trihalomethanes.
When a water tap is open, small amounts of chlorine dioxide diffuse into the air and combine with existing household odors. All homes have volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the ambient air produced by paint, carpet, new furnishings, scented products (such as soaps, candles, air fresheners or incense), or fresh flowers and many other common household items. The combination of VOC & Chlorine Dioxide have been described as smelling like fuel, oil, kerosene, chemicals or cat urine. The odor will continue until the levels of the VOC's decreases. The remedy, is to increase ventilation by opening windows and turning on fans.
Alternatively, you can remove chlorine dioxide and other chlorine compounds from the water by using an activated carbon filter. This will prevent the formation of VOC compounds that can cause unpleasant odors.

3. My water smells like chlorine/bleach. Are there a lot of chemicals or extra chlorine in the water?

No.
Chemicals, such as chlorine, are always kept at safe and unnoticeable levels. The chlorine is maintained at a fairly low level. These smells, and possibly tastes, can be from a number of sources:
1. The small amount of chlorine reacting with smells in the air, in the drain or plumbing fixtures. Chlorine itself has no odor, but when it comes in contact with organic material like skin or odors, it will react and give the characteristic bleach smell. Try smelling bleach in the jug (not much odor). Then, put a drop on your skin and smell (bleach). This is caused by a chemical reaction with your skin (an organic substance). Remedy this by cleaning sinks and drains and running enough water to diminish the smells.
2. Chemical smells can come from a garden hose that is connected to the house. If this hose has water left in it, the water can make its way back into the house by reverse pressure and make the water in the house taste and smell horrible. It can also affect tea and ice. Remedy this by keeping the hose disconnected when not in use or install a back-flow device designed for hoses.

4. Why do my toilets and sinks have black or pink rings or spots on them?

This is caused by mold and mildew spores in the air. These spores land in these moist environments and form colonies that look pink or black. Theses organisms are not in the water, but in the air (they are not harmful). The remedy for this is to try to minimize these spores in the air. you may try allergy free filters, keeping lids down, sealing toilet tanks and fixing leaky faucets.

5. Why is my water discolored or muddy looking?

First, there is not actually any mud in the water delivered to your home and no mud can enter our pressurized water lines. However, there are minerals in the water that can settle in the main lines or accumulate on older household plumbing made from galvanized steel pipe. The two minerals that can cause the water to be discolored are iron and manganese. Neither of these minerals are harmful. They are found in most vitamin supplements. These minerals can accumulate in the bottom of the main lines over a number of years. When pressure changes occur in the water lines from line breaks, fire use of hydrants, flushing fire hydrants, filling swimming pools or rapid turning on of the water (bathtub filling) these minerals can re-dissolve in the water and make it appear muddy. This situation is remedied by flushing your lines from your outside hose spigots.

6. Why does my water look milky white?

This is caused by excessive amounts of air in the water lines. Air can get trapped in high places in household lines or mains. This trapped air then saturates the water passing through it under pressure and gives it the white, milky look. Fill a clear glass with water and let it sit on the counter. Watch as the milky look disappears with time. This situation is remedied by flushing from your outside hose spigots.
Aerators at the end of faucets may also introduce air into the water and give it the appearance of milky white water. Remedy this by removing the aerator from the end of your faucet.

7. Why do my pipes freeze?

Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the "strength" of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

8. How to prevent frozen pipes.

Prevent freezing of these water supply lines and pipes by following these recommendations:

1. Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.
2. Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
3. Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
4. Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.
5. Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
6. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
7. When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
8. Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
9. If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

9. How to thaw pipes if they are frozen.

1. If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
2. Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
3. Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
4. Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
5. Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

10. What is the hardness of my water?

The hardness level is between 189 and 191 mg/liter or 10 to 12 grains/gallons.

11. Do you add fluoride to the water?

The PWMD does Not add any extra fluoride to the water. It naturally has 1mg / liter.

12. What happens if the sewer backs up? What can you do?

Sewer backups are usually unexpected and always create a mess. At best the backup requires an unpleasant cleanup but sometimes it can be expensive.

13. How do I tell if my sanitary sewer problem is in my house plumbing or in the public sanitary sewer main?

Generally, most issues are within the house plumbing or private sanitary service laterals. Stopping all water use will stop the backup.

14. If my sewer backs up, is it my responsibility to pay for it?

If the sewer backs up on your property, you are responsible to pay the bill. This is why it is important to make sure lines are clear and your homeowner’s insurance covers sewer backups.

15. How can I avoid future backups?

Blockages can occur for numerous reasons. Some of the most common causes are tree roots, grease and toys or objects inserted by children who may drop them down the drains. To avoid home sewer problems, you may want to contact a local plumber to clear these roots from your lateral and prevent your drains from backing up. Dispose of grease and fats in the trash, not down the drain. Do not dispose of any type of wipes down the toilet, they are not sanitary friendly.

Cooking grease, hair, food particles, toilet paper, and roots often cause sluggish drains or line blockages. If they happen near the drain opening or toilet bowl, a plunger may be effective. However, if the problem is some distance into the drain line, it may require a plumber to locate and resolve.

16. Check your cleanout.

Many homes have a cleanout and it is usually located near the foundation of the house.

First check the cleanout to see if it has water in it. If there is no water, then you know the blockage is somewhere in the house plumbing. If there is water standing in the cleanout, the blockage is most likely in the line from house to the main. Under these circumstances, you should discontinue using your facilities and contact a plumber.

17. I think I have a leak, what do I do?

Call our emergency line:  719-547-3554 

24/7 and we will send out a service technician to check for a leak.

18. I am moving. What is needed to end my water service?

If you are selling your property, we ask that you call 719-547-5000 and provide your date of closing and a forwarding address. A final read will be scheduled for your closing date. 

19. I am moving. What is needed to start my water service?

Service initiation can be done by calling 719-547-5000 and provide the name, phone number, billing address, and closing date. 

20. Who do I contact about backflow prevention or conservation?

You should speak to our Program Coordinator at 719-547-5040. 

21. How do I know my water is safe to drink?

The Pueblo West Utilities treats it’s water with industry accepted standards and processes . We are in compliance with all Federal, State and Local entities. We publicly post our Consumer Confidence Report each year on the District’s website that illustrates our water quality. 

22. Where does our water come from?

The District’s water is from snowmelt that collects in Twin Lakes, follows the Arkansas River, through lake Pueblo, then pumped up to our treatment plant.