4. I am noticing a change in your water pressure at the tap. Lower pressure?—see 4A. Higher pressure?—see 4B. No water?—see 4C.
4A. Lower water pressure:
Is the water pressure problem at all fixtures in the home/business?
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No. If the water pressure is not lower at all of the taps in your home/business then the problem is probably associated with the fixture(s) where the pressure is low. There is likely some debris inside the pipes that may have been dislodged and is plugging the screen at the end of the fixture. On most fixtures this screen is easily removed by unscrewing the cap at the end of the fixture, or in the case of a shower head, unscrewing the head. Once the fixture is removed and you have located the screen, clean and flush the screen to remove any debris. If some of the debris seems hard and is difficult to remove, soak the screen in vinegar for 15 minutes to dissolve the scale and then rinse it thoroughly and reinstall.
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Yes. If the water pressure is lower at all fixtures then the problem is most likely associated with the city water system or with the water meter that services your home/business. Contact the Water Treatment Plant at 734.994.2840 to report this problem. Staff should be able to tell you if this is a problem in the general area that we already know about and are working on, or if they would need to schedule an appointment to investigate a possible problem with your meter.
4B. Higher water pressure.
If the water pressure is higher than normal, contact the Water Treatment Plant at 734.994.2840 to report this problem. If your home/business is served by a pressure-reducing valve, this valve may have failed or require repair or replacement. Staff can schedule this work for you.
4C. No water at all coming out of the tap?
Has anyone been working on your plumbing recently? First thing to check is if your water valves are open—this is a common occurrence for handy people as well as novices! If your water valves are open, next check to see if you have water coming out of your tap from a fixture at the lowest elevation in your home/building. If you have some water flowing from any tap (even a drip counts) then when your water pressure returns, the water is typically safe to use. However, please call the Water Treatment Plant at 734.994.2840 to report this situation. This notification helps the city identify the limits of a potential pressure problem, or if a boil water notice might be warranted, and the extent of the city that is impacted.
If you do not have any water trickling from any tap in your house, call the Water Treatment Plant at 734.994.2840 to report this situation. This notification helps the city identify the limits of the problem and if a boil water notice is warranted, the extent of the city that is impacted.
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