Avoiding a High Bill When Away From Home

Broken water pipes inside your property can be catastrophic. When leaving your home or business for an extended period of time, please consider shutting off your water supply inside the building. This is especially important in the winter when pipes can freeze and break easily without regular water use. Even a small break in a water pipe can result in the loss of thousands of gallons of water, interior flooding, and costly utility charges and repairs.

If you have never shut off the interior main water valve before, test it before you leave. Turn on a faucet somewhere inside the building and shut off the main water valve. All water flow should stop. An old gate valve can break, so be gentle when handling the valve. If the valve is stuck, leave it alone. If it leaks or does not shut off all the way, have a licensed plumber replace the valve.

The City of Georgetown will turn off your water service at the meter upon request. Requests for outside shut off may be made directly to City Hall at 217-662-2525. Non-emergency outside shut off orders are typically completed with 24 hours.