ELKINS — Frozen or burst pipes are always a huge risk this time of year. Should this happen to your home, and if a plumber isn’t available and you have no other options, you may call the Elkins Water Department:

-Daytime Hours (5:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday):

Call the Water Department directly at 681-298-5200.

-After Hours & Weekends:

-For non-emergency assistance, requests are handled through our local 911 center. Please call (304) 636-2000.

-Please note: A surcharge will be applied if the issue is determined to be on the customer’s side of the water meter.

In case you’re newly relocated to Elkins, here are a few steps you can take to prevent frozen or burst pipes:

-Keep the Heat On: Set your thermostat to at least 50°F, even when you are away from home. This maintains warmth in walls and crawl spaces where pipes are located.

-Let Faucets Drip: Allow a slow, steady drip from at least one indoor faucet, especially those on exterior walls. This relieves pressure in your building’s water system, which is the primary cause of burst pipes; this step is most important overnight when winter temperatures drop far below freezing.

-Open Cabinet Doors: Open the doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks to let warm room air circulate around the plumbing.

The above steps are not a 100% guarantee that your home’s pipes won’t freeze; however, they are easy, no-cost solutions that residents can take to prevent such an emergency.

* The City now offers residents and business owners free reflective address numbers. Please don’t let snow, fog, or darkness hide your home or business if first responders have to arrive on the scene in an emergency.

Getting your free decals is easy:

1) Visit the Finance Dept. at the WV Wood Tech Center (at 10 11th St., Suite 3).

2) Provide your Elkins address.

3) Receive your free reflective numbers.

A clearly visible address saves critical time, and even lives: Pick yours up today! The Finance Department’s hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- to 4 p.m.

* Help our first responders help you: The City Clerk’s office continues to ask residents and business owners to sign up for emergency text alerts. Anyone using a mobile phone can receive important alerts including weather warnings, street closures, and water outages. They will also receive reminders about changes to city services due to holidays.

* The next scheduled Elkins City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 5. Visit https://cityofelkinswv.com/agenda-center/ early next week for up-to-date information about the coming meeting’s agenda.

The following committee and board meetings are scheduled for Monday, February 2, at the Phil Gainer Community Center:

Personnel: 1 p.m. Items of business include the new HR director position, implementing the new HR system, and updated grievance policy.

Rules and Ordinances: 3:30 p.m. Agenda TBA. Please check on Monday morning.