Bethel tells water customers to prepare service lines and hookups for freeze-up

The City of Bethel on Thursday told piped-water customers to turn on the heat trace or glycol lines on their service lines and make sure they work. It told hauled-utility customers to keep their hookups reachable on service days.

The city's notice aims to "mitigate potential freeze ups and hauled services incidents."

Piped-water customers in Bethel Heights should use working heat tape in cold weather so service lines do not freeze, the city's piped water and sewer guide says. The City Subdivision system is heated with glycol, the guide says, and residents turn on two circulating pumps inside the home in mid-October.

If neighbors have water and you do not, the problem may be your own service line, frozen or clogged, the guide says. The property owner is responsible for those repairs. Piped-water emergencies go to 907-545-0168.

Hauled customers should keep overflow and fill pipes clear of debris, ice and snow, and move vehicles, snow machines and snow banks on service days. The city's Hauled Water & Sewer Services page also asks customers to keep sewer tanks thawed before their service day.

When a driver cannot complete a delivery, the driver leaves a blue tag on the door and tries again before the end of the route, the city's hauled services guide says. If the problem is still there, a delivery fee is charged.

When utility billing is closed, customers can call 907-545-4695 for an emergent same-day extra service, which costs $150 more.