Water Utility Services

When temperatures drop, a few simple steps can save you from broken pipes.

Keep your water flowing to save time & money!

1. Check Your Sprinklers: Turn the whole system off and check your timers to make sure they won't come on automatically
2. Find Your Shut-off Valve: Locate your main water shut-off valve before a freeze, so you can shut it off in an emergency
3. Protect Your Pipes: Wrap outdoor pipes with insulation foam or a towel/trash bag combo
4. Keep Water Moving: Allow a small trickle of water to run through your pipes if temps drop below freezing
5. Let in Some Heat: If pipes run through cabinets or vanities, open the doors to let in warmth

If your pipes do freeze:

1. Shut Off Your Water: Turn off the water at the main valve immediately 
2. Thaw Your Pipes: Use a hair dryer or a space heater to heat the air around a frozen pipe
3. Start Back Slow: Once pipes thaw, turn water on at a low level and check for leaks

Lake Waco Wetlands Prescribed Burn

Prescribed burns are used as a management tool in natural areas to improve habitats that were historically maintained by natural fires. The prescribed burns decrease available fuels and reduce the risk of destructive wildfire.

For more information on the prescribed burn, visit the Lake Waco Wetlands page.

Waco Water Crews on the Job during Holiday Cold Snap

An early Arctic blast brought freezing temperatures to Central Texas. If you were safe and warm at home, you might not know that our Waco Water crew was out in the weather on emergency calls. A quick drop in temperature can cause major damage to our water system, but we are always ready to take the call. During this last freeze, a call on Frederick Ave. brought crews out on Christmas Eve to make sure everything was flowing smoothly as soon as possible. 

Water System Maintenance December 14 through January 11

We will conduct a system-wide cleaning beginning December 14. The disinfection method for your water will change temporarily. We do this maintenance to remove organic matter that builds up in pipes over time. The refresh helps us maintain high water quality and extend the life of our water system. 

You might notice a change in the taste and/or odor of your water. There are no health effects associate with the taste and odor changes, and the water will return to normal once the cleaning is done. 

For information about new or transferred residential water service, call (254) 299-CITY(2489)

• Have your social security number handy.
• Residential security deposits are based on previous account history and credit history and range from $75 to $300.
• $50 service fee and $12.50 solid waste administration fee will also be added to a new residential service bill. 

For information about new water or wastewater taps, please contact the following:

Residential Construction

• Sabrina Beck, New Construction Water & Wastewater Taps (254) 299-2464
• Garrett Gonzalez, Meter Services (254) 750-6643

Commercial

• Roger Glick, Public Works Department (254) 750-5879
• Curt Caldwell, Public Works Department (254) 750-6612

The more you save, the less you pay PLUS our water supply lasts longer!
SHARE these tips with others!

In the Bathroom:

• Be careful about what you flush.
• No wipes, paper towels, diapers or trash should ever be flushed down the toilet.
• Take shorter showers.
• Turn off the tap while you soap, shampoo, brush your teeth and shave.

Around the House:

Wear clothes a couple of times before you wash them. If they don’t have stains or visible dirt you can wear:

• shirts 1 or 2 times
• jeans 4 or 5 times
• jackets 5 or 6 times

Only run your washing machine and dishwasher when they’re full and don’t over-soap to reduce the amount of rinsing you need. 

• Only two tablespoons of detergent will clean 12 pounds of clothes!
• Defrost food in the refrigerator instead of under running water. 
• There’s also no need to rinse meat from the store before using. 
• Use a smaller amount of water to boil pasta—it totally works!

In the Yard:

• Use a broom to clear leaves and grass clippings from your sidewalks and porches, instead of a hose. 
• Put the clippings around your flowers and shrubs as mulch.
• Learn about composting and give it a try to reduce evaporation from your topsoil. 
• Learn about rainwater harvesting to reuse water for gardening, pools and more.
• Consider zeroscaping and plant drought resistant, native plants and succulents. You’ll have some beautiful landscaping and save time on maintenance, too. 

A Few More Tips:

• Find and fix leaks on your property. Repair running toilets and dripping faucets to protect your home, save you money and save water.
• Think about how you use water outside of your home, too. Use the same rules to wash your hands or flush the toilets around town. All the water comes from the same place, so it’s all precious!

Other Conservation Links:

Texas Water Development Board
Water IQ
Texas Living Waters Project