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STORM EVENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will I lose water service during a storm?
Over ninety five percent of MDC’s water supply distribution areas are served by gravity; therefore, it is unlikely that power interruptions will affect your water service. In the few areas serviced by pump
stations, as opposed to being gravity fed, MDC has deployed on-site generators to provide back-up power if necessary during the storm. If you do experience problems with your water service, please call the MDC Command Center immediately at 860-278-7850 and press 1.
Can I flush my toilet during the storm?
Power interruptions will not affect your ability to flush toilets; however, during heavy rains, some MDC sewer systems can become overloaded by storm water. Storm water can also enter the sanitary sewers
through sump pumps and roof leaders connected to the sewer. If the sewer becomes overloaded with this clean water, customers can experience surcharging in their homes. If you experience surcharging during the storm, avoid flushing the toilet or running the water and call our Command Center.
What do I do if I have a sewage back up in my home?
Call the MDC Command Center immediately. While every effort will be made to respond to your backup problem as quickly as possible, and MDC forces will be fully staffed and at a high state of readiness, there may be some response delays, depending upon the severity of the weather event. You should be aware of what to do while help is on the way:
• Avoid using toilets, sinks, showers, washing machines, dishwashers, etc., as wastewater from these
appliances will have no outlet.
• Minimize physical contact with the wastewater backing up in your home.
• Never operate or disconnect an electrical appliance or main fuse box while standing in water. Call your local electric utility if you need your power shut off to “protect” appliances.
What should I do if I have a backwater valve?
If you have one or more backwater valves, make sure the traps are clean and nothing is interfering with the flappers. During a rain event, with the increase in the volume of water in our system, a surcharge into your basement can occur if the backwater valve devices are not working properly. To request information on backwater valves, contact MDC Utility Services at utilityservices@themdc.com.