The City of Clintonville is working with residents along specific points of the water system to help prevent their pipes from freezing this winter.
Water Utility staff have pinpointed about 90 properties that are usually more susceptible to pipe freezes than other locations, and utility staff members contacted those residents on Jan. 21, asking them to run a small trickle of water continuously to prevent pipe freeze-ups at their respective properties.
“We are pretty consistent with this course of action – we usually do this every year,” said Public Utilities Manger Okho Bohm Hagedorn. “We have a specific list of customers we call and ask to run a trickle of water. There are certain points in the system where pipe freeze-ups are more likely, so we ask a group of about 90 customers to run a slight trickle of water, and those customers get a credit on their bill for running the extra water.”
Bohm Hagedorn said only one person has had their pipes freeze up this year. That occurrence took place on Jan. 27 – after the utility had made the reminder phone calls. The city’s informal policy is to not charge the resident for the first occurrence requiring work to thaw out the pipes; however, residents are billed for any additional occurrences after the first one.
“The water trickle element will be ongoing until we call those customers and ask them to stop running the extra water,” Bohm Hagedorn said. “Credits for those customers will continue until that point as well.
“It’s very important for citizens to understand that we are only crediting customer accounts that we have specifically contacted and asked to run a trickle of water,” Hagedorn emphasized. “If other residents decide to run a trickle of water on their own, they are welcome to do so – but they will not receive a credit on their bill. The only customers receiving a credit for running additional water will be those who have been asked to do so by utility staff. If you didn’t receive a call from the utility staff, you do not need to worry about running a trickle of water.”
Bohm Hagedorn said customers can call 715-823-7600 with any questions.