December 4, 2013

With cold days starting up, there is no time like the present to safeguard your home’s plumbing.

Rain, ice, and snow can do real damage to your home, and the Portland Water Bureau encourages you to take preventive steps to keep your home’s pipes in working order.

For your outside plumbing, caulk around pipes where they enter the home, close all foundation vents, and fill vent openings with wood or Styrofoam^TM blocks. Use molded foam-insulating covers (available at hardware stores) or newspaper or rags covered with plastic wrap to wrap outside faucets or hose bibs.

For inside plumbing, insulate pipes in unheated areas, open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathrooms (allowing pipes to get more heat from inside your home), and let a slight drip of cold water run when temperatures dip below freezing.

These simple steps could make all the difference.

Visit the Water Bureau’s website to learn more about protecting your pipes in freezing temperatures.

December 6, 2013

Portland has seen some record-breaking low temperatures this week.

The cold weather is especially difficult – even life-threatening – for people experiencing homelessness on our streets. Many of Portland’s nonprofits and churches have opened their doors to provide safe, warm places for people to go.

If you or someone you know is seeking shelter, please contact 211info. From any land line, just dial 2-1-1 (503.222.5555 from a cell phone), and 211 staff can identify shelters and warming centers in your area. The incredible 211 team is available 24-hours a day to help connect you to resources.

Because of the severe weather, more locations, in addition to our year-round shelters, have opened up for men, women, and children.

Want to help? Many of our nonprofit partners are seeking donations – socks, blankets, gloves, hats, and more. Local partner JOIN is handing out warm clothing this weekend. Call JOIN or 211 to find out how you can help.

Click here to see a list of additional severe weather shelter locations.

Nonprofit that helps homeless needs blankets, caps, sweaters

Lynne Terry in The Oregonian

Nonprofit that helps homeless needs blankets, caps sweaters

Lynne Terry in The Oregonian

Over 125,000 in Give!Guide Donations on Giving Tuesday

In Willamette Week

Imagine for a moment you were homeless

Israel Bayer in Street Roots

Portland First City in U.S. To Feed Starving Artists (And Their Cats)

On Prugent.com

Christmas Comes Early for Yale Union

Aaron Scott in Portland Monthly

Save the Swales

Aaron Mesh in Willamette Week

A Tenacious Visionary: Ted Gilbert

Deborah Moon in Jewish Life Oregon

Name light-rail bridge for bridge builders Nohad and Dirce Toulan

Sho Dozono in The Oregonian

December 11, 2013

With the cold temperatures we’ve been experiencing, the Portland Water Bureau has been hard at work in the community dealing with main-breaks, frozen pipes, and a number of residential plumbing issues.

Since the freezing weather started last week, PWB has responded to over 500 calls for service - many of which were received after hours.

To ensure all reported water issues were quickly assessed, a team of dedicated professionals staffed the Water Bureau Dispatch center throughout the day and night, and worked diligently to deploy crews immediately out to water emergencies.

If you experience a water emergency, contact the Water Bureau’s 24/7 Emergency Hotline at (503) 823-4874.

December 12, 2013

This morning, Nick headed out to SW Portland to check on a main break on SW Vista Avenue between SW Elm and Spring.

Just after midnight, an 86 year-old eight-inch cast iron main ruptured, causing water to flow into the street. Water to the broken pipe has been shut off and crews are working fast to restore service to the neighborhood.

Cast iron water mains are at risk of breaking during winter months, as cold water can cause pipes to become more brittle. Adding freezing air temperatures can cause the ground above a pipe to freeze, increasing external stress on a pipe.

Temperature is just one factor in causing a main break. The age of the pipe, soil conditions, pipe corrosion, and ground movement can cause a main to weaken over time and break.

For more information, visit the Water Bureau’s website or call (503) 823-7404.

Water main break closes neighborhood street, school

In the Portland Tribune

Stretch of Southwest Vista Avenue closed due to water main break

Noelle Crombie in The Oregonian

SW Portland water main break closes Ainsworth School

On KGW.com

Water main break closes SW Portland school

On KOIN.com

Crews repairing broken water main in SW Portland

On KPTV.com