Winter Weather - January 16, 2024
All City Offices and Facilities Will Be OPEN Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Alexandria, La. (January 16, 2024) — All City offices and facilities will be open tomorrow (Wednesday, January 17, 2024); ATRANS bus service will operate its normal schedules and routes tomorrow as well. Utility disconnects for past due accounts remain suspended until Thursday morning.
Tuesday night is forecast to be the coldest night of this Winter Weather Event with low temperatures near 14 degrees. As a result, unprotected water pipes are still at risk for freezing and bursting. Residents are encouraged to prepare now with these simple steps:
- Check sprinkler or irrigation systems now. Make sure they are turned off or drained. Don’t forget to insulate or drain the backflow preventer near the water meter.
- Know how to properly shut off your home’s water supply.
- Protect your pipes by wrapping them with insulating products.
- Identify your home’s freezing points. Eliminate sources of cold air near water pipes and seal drafts around windows or doors.
- Consider shutting off water supplies to abandoned or unoccupied structures ahead of the freezing weather.
- Do I need to drip my indoor faucets? There is no need to drip indoor faucets right now. If your power goes out AND it is below 28 degrees outside for 4 hours or more, a slow drip might be okay. How much do I need to drip? Drip 5 drops a minute, which means there is no need to run water constantly.
Additional Safety Precautions:
- While roadways are generally passable in all locations, patchy ice may still be a possibility especially on elevated roads and bridges. Motorists are urged to allow extra time and exercise caution during their morning commute Wednesday morning.
- To avoid the risk of fire, ensure all portable heaters, heated blankets, and other such appliances are properly connected directly to a wall outlet and not a power strip or extension cord.
- Never use an outdoor grill or other outdoor heating product indoors!
If you experience a water leak during this Winter Weather Event and need assistance shutting off your home’s water supply, please call the AUS Water Department at 318-473-1264. Electrical outages can be reported to 318-473-1301. Medical, fire, or public safety emergencies should still be reported to 911.
