Below is information about an upcoming shut off on Wednesday, June 29.

OLWS will be repairing a water main that requires a shut off scheduled for Wednesday, June 29 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The area affected is 28th Avenue at Park Avenue, McLoughlin north of Park Avenue and Whitcomb Drive, Lark Street, and Lakewood Drive.

These outages are planned when most residents are at work. We do our best to notify customers of planned outages and any traffic impacts at least 48 hours in advance by door hanger, e-mail, or phone.

Once the repair is complete and water service is resumed, customers in the following areas may experience air in their water lines and/or discolored water.

Staff has distributed door hangers on duplexes and homes affected and made contact with commercial customers. If you have any questions, please call (503) 654-7765 or email info@olwsd.org. 

FAQs

What causes water main leaks?

• Aging infrastructure
  • Natural soil conditions can cause corrosion to old pipes and valves.
     
• Accidental damage to underground pipes
  • If you are planning on digging for outdoor and construction projects, be sure to have your water, gas, electric and other utility lines marked by calling 811 or visiting Dig Safely Oregon's website.
     
• Cold weather
  • Extreme cold during the winter can cause pipes to freeze. Frozen water expands, which can crack pipes. Once the pipes thaw, water comes out of these cracks.

What causes water outages?

• Planned interruptions
  • We schedule planned water interruptions to install, maintain or replace vital components of OLWS’s water distribution system.
     
• Main breaks and emergency maintenance
  • If emergency maintenance (such as a water main break) is needed, our crews work quickly to complete the repair and restore water service. Due to the urgency of such situations, OLWS staff’s top priority is completing the repair. Occasionally, this means water service may be interrupted for periods of time without prior notification.

What do I do after a water outage?
You may experience air in your water lines, discolored water, or low water pressure as a result of temporary water outages.

• If you have air in your lines:
  • Run cold water from an outside hose bib or a cold water faucet for 3 to 5 minutes to flush out any air.
     
• If you have discolored water:
  • Continue to flush your home water lines by running an outside hose bib or a cold water faucet inside your home for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
     
  • After flushing, check water clarity by running cold water in a white sink or basin for a few minutes, allowing new water to work its way into your pipes.
     
  • In some cases, there may be slight discoloration for a few hours.
     
  • Avoid washing laundry while the water is discolored. Wait until the water runs clear at the tap, then wash a load of dark clothes first.
• If pressure or volume seems lower than normal:
  • Check your faucet screens for trapped particles.