Water outage

If you are experiencing a water outage or have a question about a current or pending water outage, please call 515-222-3460.

There are two types of water outages: scheduled and emergency. Scheduled outages include work performed for maintenance, repair, or alteration of the system. Emergency outages include water main breaks or system damage.

In the case of a scheduled outage every attempt will be made to notify all affected customers. Typically crews will go door-to-door to notify potential affected customers.

Main Breaks

If a main break occurs in your neighborhood, our crews work quickly to make the repair and restore water service. Due to the urgency of such situations, our crews make the repair process their top priority. Occasionally, this means water service may be interrupted for periods of time without prior notification.

When the Water Comes Back On

There will likely be air in your water service piping when the water is turned back on. It is a good idea to run water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen immediately following a water outage. Bathtubs and hose bibs are good candidates. Open faucets slowly to allow the air to escape. Air will make a spurting or hissing sound as it escapes through the faucet. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run for a minute or two. The water may be cloudy at first due to air in the water or particles that dislodged as the pipes filled with water. This should clear fairly quickly. If water is cloudy throughout the house and it does not clear after allowing the water to run for several minutes, contact West Des Moines Water Works at 515-222-3460 for assistance.

If kitchen or bathroom faucets do not perform normally following a water outage it may be necessary to remove the aerator screen. Typically the aerator can simply be unscrewed from the faucet. Inspect the screen for small particles and rinse away any you find. Reinstall the aerator and test performance of the faucet again. If you experience difficulties such as low pressure throughout the house following a water outage call West Des Moines Water Works at 515-222-3460 for assistance.