Tag Archives: Pipes

General, Repairs and Spills, What's Going On?

Charlotte Water Responding to Main Leak on East 37th Street

Hi, Queen City! We’re sharing a quick update on emergency repair work taking place in the NoDa area.

What Happened

Charlotte Water received reports of a water main leak near the intersection of East 37th and North Davidson streets.

Our team was on-site quickly to assess the situation and reduce water flow on the street. Direct notifications were sent to neighbors within a three-block radius who may be impacted by temporary service disruptions or low pressure.

What Happens Next

  • CLTWater crews are coordinating with local utility partners to locate underground gas and telecommunication lines so our crews can dig safely.
  • Our team will excavate the site to reach the leaking pipe, complete the necessary repairs, and gradually restore full water pressure.
  • After repairs are made, CLTWater will flush the system and test the water quality. Once testing clears, we’ll send a final alert notifying impacted customers that service is fully restored.

We know water disruptions are a big inconvenience, and we truly appreciate your patience while our crews work to get everything fixed as quickly and safely as possible.

Additional details about our leak investigation, repair prioritization and repair process: How Charlotte Water Prioritizes Leaks | Charlotte Water Blog

General

From Data Overload to Strategic Insight: Turning Information into Impact at Charlotte Water

At the NC One Water Annual Conference, Charlotte Water’s Colin Stifler shared a simple example to explain why data matters. He said to think about a trip to the doctor. When you check in, they take your blood pressure, temperature, weight, and other numbers. Each number tells you something small, but when you look at them together, you get a clear picture of your overall health. That’s what helps the doctor figure out what’s going on and what to do next.

Colin explained that organizations work the same way. To understand how they’re doing, they need to look at a few key results that really matter. Then they need to understand what affects those results. When you connect the dots between what you want to achieve and what causes changes over time, you can make smarter decisions.

Focusing on What Matters Most

Charlotte Water has six main priorities that guide its work:

  • A strong, high-performing workforce
  • Great customer service
  • Good community engagement
  • Reliable and safe infrastructure
  • Financial stability
  • Protecting the environment

For each priority, Charlotte Water tracks certain measures. However, Colin emphasized that the numbers alone aren’t enough; leaders also need to understand what drives them.

For example, a key measure for workforce success is the vacancy rate. Vacancy rate is shaped by things like how long it takes to fill a job, how many people apply, and how many accept an offer. Those things are then shaped by deeper factors, like training, leadership, pay, and workplace culture. Looking at all of this together helps leaders understand why a number changes, not just that it changed.

Turning Insight into Action

Colin shared how this approach is helping Charlotte Water reduce sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). An SSO happens when wastewater spills out of the sewer system. These spills are bad for the environment and for public health.

Last year, Charlotte Water had 3.2 SSOs for every 100 miles of pipe. This result is good compared to many large utilities, but the team’s goal is two or fewer. To understand why the number wasn’t lower, staff looked at the main causes of recent SSOs. They found that more SSOs were happening because of pipe failures—up 68% compared to the last three years.

Taken by Cam Coley, employee City of Charlotte, Charlotte Water

After seeing that, staff checked the rate at which old pipes were being replaced. They discovered that pipe replacement had slowed down during the same time pipe-related SSOs went up. This showed a clear path forward: increasing pipe repair and replacement would help bring SSO numbers down. Engineering teams will continue working on the details, but the data helped point everyone in the right direction.

A Clearer Path Forward

Colin closed with one key message: when you choose the right things to measure and take the time to understand what affects them, you make better decisions.

This approach helps leaders avoid guesswork, stay focused, and take action that truly makes a difference. Just like a doctor uses vital signs to care for patients, Charlotte Water is using simple, meaningful data to guide decisions and continue serving our community well.

My Water, Repairs and Spills, Wastewater

Plumbing Nightmares! ! Mistakes Were Made & How to Prevent Them

Owning a home is scary these days. And your plumbing is haunting you from under your floors. So, grab a cozy blanket and join us as we explore the spooky side of home maintenance.

The wrong turn and water rushes everywhere.

It was Thanksgiving night, and the dishwasher wouldn’t start. I went under the sink, and there were three water valves: one for the faucet, one for the dishwasher, and one for the refrigerator ice maker. I traced the water lines to where they appeared to go and made an educated guess to turn off the water valve close to the dishwasher so I could try to repair it. I was wrong. I accidentally turned off the ice maker. I realized it as soon as water gushed all over the floor. Make sure to put a tag or identifier on your plumbing valves, and if doing work on an appliance, make sure to turn off the right valve or the master shut-off valve.

Cockroaches will wake you in the middle of the night if you rarely flush a toilet or floor drain.

The house had a small bathroom that wasn’t useful, so it wasn’t used, for several months… The water in the toilet evaporated and cockroaches found a new home. The cockroaches made a huge mess, and the toilet’s wax seal dried out, requiring a replacement. Set a reminder to pour a little water down drains or flush occasionally.

The Sourdough Monster that Broke the Dishwasher

So many people are enjoying the benefits of making their own sourdough recipes. Until the sourdough starter goes down the drain and forms a giant clog. Sourdough starter can harden in your pipes or your dishwasher, leading to costly repairs and replacements. Always scoop your discard into the trash to be safe.

Not cleaning your dishwasher filter will lead to a Ghoulish Gunk

Why is there a puddle and thick pink goo in the bottom of the dishwasher? It is easy to forget that your dishwasher has a filter and that it may need cleaning occasionally. Ignoring the filter will eventually lead to a nasty, smelly clog. Check with your owner’s manual on when and how to clean it.

The Noise is coming from inside the house!

Our son was home alone and called in a panic. There is someone upstairs! I heard them walking around and stopping for a bit, and then walking around again. My son’s brilliant decision was to grab a knife and attack the intruder. I persuaded him to stay where he was until I could get back. We could hear the walking sounds, and then it stopped. But it wasn’t an intruder, it was the washing machine wobbling and banging the wall. Make sure your loads are not too overloaded and that there is adequate space from the walls.

The trees are rooting for you!

Sure, the water drained slowly for a while, but that’s not a problem, right? I was running the laundry and the dishwasher, and all was fine until I heard a waterfall from the bathrooms. I tried the plunger and put towels on the floor to mop the water off the floor, but the water kept pouring out of the toilets. It was the tree roots that clogged my sewer drain and what made it worse was not realizing that the appliances were sending water down the drain only to pop up in the bathrooms.

Know where your sewer line exits your home and see if you have a cleanout. If you don’t have a cleanout, talk to a plumber about whether you may need one. Look at trees near your sewer line. If you experience frequent slow drains, consult with a plumber about possible solutions.

The drain cleaner ate my plumbing

You get busy and forget what you are doing until what you forgot costs $$$. Pouring drain cleaner chemicals down your drain to clear clogs can also damage your plumbing if done often, left in the plumbing without flushing it out on time, or if the directions are not followed correctly. The chemicals can weaken you pipes and seals. Know your pipe material and follow instructions precisely (set a timer). Consider alternatives to clearing a clog.

Drip drip drip from the attic

You hear a drip, a drip, another drip, a puddle. Oh, great. We have a roof leak in the rain, or is it something else? Don’t wait for the rain to stop; look in the attic. Scary place, I know, but your home has a sewer vent to help ghastly odors escape. If you have an old house, your sewer vent may be the source of the leak, either through corrosion of the pipe or where it comes through the roof.

The mail doesn’t come on Sundays?

The toilet was clogged, and we couldn’t get it to flush anymore. Finally, we called a plumber and they pulled out the blockage of envelopes. Yes, a previous renter clogged the toilet with the open envelopes from the mail.

Only toilet paper goes in the toilet. Everything else is trash or recycling.

Hear a noise, see a damp spot?

Don’t be scared. If you see water where it shouldn’t be, grab your flashlight and start investigating like Scooby Doo and the Mystery Gang.

Drought & Conservation, General

Save Money, Save Water

Fixing at home leaks can be quick, cheap, and easy.

Taking a few minutes to fix small leaks in your home can prevent costly water bills. Household leaks can waste almost one trillion gallons of water per year nationwide. Some common household leaks are dripping faucets, worn toilet flappers, leaking valves, and irrigation systems. You can fix many of these leaks without having to call a professional. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsors Fix a Leak Week annually to encourage leak detection and water conservation. Here are a few of the EPA’s leak repair tips:

Faucet Leaks

Your dripping faucet could be wasting more than 3,000 gallons of water per year. Check out this drip calculator from the AWWA to see how much water you could be wasting at home!

Once you know which part of your faucet is leaking (spout, base, etc.) you can purchase a single replacement piece or a faucet repair kit. Video tutorials like this one can take you from DIY to drip-stopping pro in under three minutes!

To ensure you purchase the right kit or replacement part, it’s best to research your current faucet or disassemble your faucet and take the pieces that need replacement with you. Once you have the necessary replacement parts, simply swap them out and test the faucet for leaks.

Toilet Leaks

A worn-out toilet flapper can silently waste thousands of gallons of water per year. Toilet leaks can be some of the sneakiest leaks in a home. Luckily, replacing a toilet flapper only takes a few minutes and the parts are inexpensive. The easiest way to figure out if your toilet is leaking is to perform a dye test.

Make sure to carefully examine your old flapper before tossing it to ensure you buy the correct replacement. This simple swap can prevent you from flushing hundreds of dollars down the drain.

Outdoor Leaks

In-ground irrigation systems, hose connections, and pools can also be sources of leaks that can skyrocket your water bill. It’s important to monitor your water bill when you water your lawn or during pool season to ensure you’re not missing a leak. Here are some outdoor leak detection tips:

  • Check your irrigation system for damage from freezing temps before you use it each spring.
  • Check your irrigation system for faulty sprinkler heads.
  • Check your hose connections regularly for pooling water or drips between uses.
  • Consult a professional if you suspect a pool leak.

If you need assistance fixing a leak, please contact a professional. If you receive a high bill and are unsure of what to do next, check out this video for next steps.

Charlotte Water can assist you with your outstanding balance from a high bill after your leak is repaired. To get help with your outstanding balance, please dial 311 or 704-336-7600.