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Kentucky American Water Shares Cold Weather Tips

Kentucky American Water provides the following reminders to customers as the region continues to manage the extremely cold weather and prepares for the dramatic transition to increasingly warmer temperatures this week:

  • Know how to shut off the water quickly in your home should you have a water line burst. Most homes have a main water shut-off valve that is located in the basement, a utility room or crawl space. Know where this valve is located and use it to shut off water quickly, if necessary.

  • When the temperatures dip below freezing, keep water moving through pipes by allowing a small trickle to run, and open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air from the room to flow in. This will help prevent waterlines from freezing.
     
  • Before contacting Kentucky American Water to report no water service, take a few minutes to determine if the issue is isolated to your home or business and not a water system issue. Check with neighbors to see if they have water service. If they do, the issue is likely a frozen waterline within your plumbing.

  • You can also avoid the wait to speak with a customer service agent by visiting www.kentuckyamwater.com to determine if we have active service/cold weather alerts impacting your area. 

  • If you experience no water coming out of a faucet, check faucets/fixtures at all levels of the home to determine if your entire house is affected. If it is, look for frost or bulging pipes in vulnerable areas, typically along exterior walls.

  • Before doing anything, shut off the water supply using your main water shut-off valve.

  • Apply heat to the affected pipes. Heating pads, a hair dryer, a space heater or warm towels can all help to thaw a pipe. Do not use anything with open flames. If you see water leakage, stop using any form of electric heating to avoid the risk of electrocution.

  • Once pipes are thawed, slowly turn the water back on and check pipes and joints for any cracks or leaks that will require repairs.

If at any time you suspect or observe a water main break or another water system emergency, such as a broken fire hydrant, you can report it quickly online by visiting https://login.amwater.com and clicking “report emergency.”

Kentucky American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately half a million people. For more information, visit www.kentuckyamwater.com and follow Kentucky American Water on Twitter and Facebook.


Media Contacts

Susan Lancho

Senior Manager, External and Government Affairs

859.268.6332

susan.lancho@amwater.com