BALTIMORE, MD — Due to the sustained cold temperatures this President's Day weekend, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is experiencing an unusually high number of service requests, with nearly 300 reports of leaks, icy conditions, or water outages.

The Department has crews and contractors working to bring all of the outages under control.

“We appreciate the public's patience as the Department works to address the mounting requests for service. We urge water customers to follow our suggested cold weather tips to protect their water lines,” said DPW Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E.

Pipes and utility meters can freeze when the temperature remains below 25 degrees for extended periods of time. DPW offers the following tips to help protect water lines during periods of cold weather:

• Let a thin stream of water run from the basement faucet. The stream should be a continuous flow, about the thickness of a pencil lead
• If a pipe is frozen, gently warm it with hot air from a blow dryer at the point where it enters the house
• Know the location of the water shutoff valve in your home. Check it periodically to ensure that it works properly
• Keep bottled water on hand
• Shut off water to outside faucets
• Insulate pipes in unheated parts of the home, and be especially alert if you have had a frozen pipe in the past

The Department of Public Works maintains outdoor water lines up to and including the meter. Water lines running from the meter to the house, as well as internal plumbing, are the responsibility of the property owner.

For water emergencies in Baltimore City, please call 311. In our Baltimore County service area, please call 410-396-5352.