(EVANSVILLE, IN) – If you have a lawn irrigation system on your property, now is the time to prepare for winter and avoid frozen water pipes. Lawn irrigation systems should be equipped with a backflow assembly that stops water from flowing backward in your pipes to prevent potential contamination of the public drinking water supply. Water not adequately drained from the backflow assembly can freeze and damage sensitive components inside the device.
Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) strongly urges customers with lawn irrigation systems to winterize the backflow assembly before temperatures dip below 32 degrees again this fall. Burst water pipes can be costly to repair or replace, and the expense is the sole responsibility of the property owner.
EWSU recommends hiring an irrigation expert to check the backflow assembly and prepare it for a hard freeze. The best way to winterize the device is to drain all water from the backflow assembly, disconnect it and store it in a warm place. If that is not feasible, you can do it in a few easy steps with a flathead screwdriver.
How To Winterize Backflow Assembly
uSlowly shutoff water coming from the meter to the backflow assembly vUse a flathead screwdriver to open the test cocks to release water from the assembly after the water has drained from the assembly, use the screwdriver to close the test cocks. Close the water shutoff valve to ensure no air gets into the system
