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1. How do I find my water shut-off valve?

Your master water shut-off valve should be located where the water line enters your house. When shut off, it turns off the water to the entire house. The valve will be located indoors, along the perimeter of the house, on the side facing the street. 

If you’re unable to find it on your own, you can also check your property inspection report, which was completed when you purchased the home. 

Finally, if it’s an emergency and you are unable to locate the valve, please contact us and we can help shut-off the water from the curb-stop that attaches your service line to the main line in the street. 

2. How do I locate my water meter?

Some meters are located inside the home and some are located near the street. If you’re doing work and need to locate your meter, please contact 811 and make a request.

3. How do I manage my water pressure?

Normal residential water pressure is between 50 and 75 pounds per square inch (psi). Anything above 80 psi can cause leaks in clothes washers, faucets, toilets, bathtubs and exterior hose bibs. We recommend approximately 60 psi 

You can test your water’s psi with a simple gauge you can buy at most hardware stores. If the pressure is too high, contact a licensed plumber to determine if a pressure regulator may help.

4. How do I prepare my pipes for the winter?

There are a few steps we recommend that you take each winter to protect your pipes from the cold:

• Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses and faucets
  
  
• Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas
  • You can use pipe-wrapping materials or heat tape, which can be found at any hardware or building supply store.
• Seal off access doors, air vents, and cracks. 
  • Be sure you don’t plug air vents used by your furnace or water heater.
• Make sure you know where the master shut-off valve is located.

In extreme weather you may also want to run a small trickle of water from faucet. 

If your pipes do freeze, you can attempt to thaw them yourself using a hair dryer or portable space heater and running it along the pipe. Do NOT attempt to thaw them using an open flame. 

5. How do I protect my pipes from clogs?

Everything that is flushed, run through the garbage disposal or dumped enters the wastewater system. By doing a few simple things to protect your pipes, you can protect yourself, your family and the overall system from big problems down the road. 

To avoid back-ups into your home, we recommend: 

• Remember the 3Ps: the ONLY things that you should ever flush are pee, poop and (toilet) paper.
  • There is no such thing as a disposable wipe (no matter what the package says). Feminine products, prescription drugs, toys, pesticides, paint/solvents, motor oil and any other objects should be disposed of in other ways. 
• Scheduling an annual tree root inspection/maintenance will help keep your pipes clear of debris and leaks.
  
  
• Do not pour kitchen grease down sink. Wipe pots and pans down with a towel, or pour the grease into another container and dispose of it, before washing.  
  
  
• Keep garbage disposal free of items that can clog your system.

6. How should I prepare for a visit from PSWD?

Our employees will never ask to enter your home unless we've already scheduled a service appointment with you in advance. Any field service employee will be wearing a PWSD lanyard, apparel with our logo on it and driving an official PWSD vehicle. 

We will require someone over the age of 18 to be present. 

If you have concerns you can also call us at 303-841-4627.

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1. Is my water safe to drink?

Parker Water and Sanitation District meets all regulatory mandates for clean water. 

Testing is done using sophisticated equipment and advanced procedures. 

Water quality is regulated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

2. How often does Parker Water test water for contaminants?

The Safe Drinking Water Act mandates an annual test and Consumer Confidence Report, to explain important aspects of our water such as where it comes from and the level of contaminants as compared to allowable measurements. 

Beyond that, Parker Water tests weekly for bacteria in order to ensure safety and quality.

Click here to read the report...

3. What causes discolored water?

Discolored (Red) water is caused by naturally occurring minerals in well water. The discolored water poses no health risk to people or animals. Households may experience discolored water during times of hydrant flushing and District water line maintenance. To learn more about discolored (red) water, click here.

If you experience discolored (red) water,  avoid washing laundry because the minerals in the discolored water may stain clothing. If staining does occur, please avoid drying the clothing. Call 303-841-4627 between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:00 pm and Parker Water and Sanitation District will provide you with Iron Out, an iron stain removal powder. 

After the flushing or maintenance is completed in your area, run cold water to clear any discolored water in your service lines. Put this water to good use by watering plants or grass through a garden hose. 

To learn more about your water and water quality, click here.

4. What are those green boxes?

The green boxes, or sample stations, provide designated sampling sites to retrieve potable water samples at any time (24/7) versus sampling directly from homes or businesses. 

Currently, the PWSD laboratory staff sample sixty sites for one level of testing for Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) drinking water compliance. 

All of these sites are from customer hose bibs. As the population increases, more sample sites are necessary to meet the regulation. Sample sites are chosen to be representative of the entire distribution system.

5. What is wastewater?

Wastewater is used water; it includes substances such as human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps and chemicals.

In homes, this means water from sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers. Businesses and industries also contribute their share of used water that must be cleaned.

6. Why treat wastewater?

It's a matter of caring for our environment and for our own health. If it is not properly cleaned, water can carry disease. Since we live, work and play so close to water, harmful bacteria have to be removed to make water safe.

Nature has an amazing ability to cope with small amounts of water wastes and pollution, but it would be overwhelmed if we didn't treat the billions of gallons of wastewater and sewage produced every day before releasing it back to the environment. Treatment plants reduce pollutants in wastewater to a level nature can handle. If the term "wastewater treatment" is confusing to you, you might think of it as "sewage treatment."

7. How can I help protect our water quality?

Everything that is flushed, run through the garbage disposal or dumped enters the wastewater system. Some pollutants seriously disrupt the water treatment process itself, as well as cause serious damage to homes, business and the environment.

Please do NOT flush these items:

• Baby Wipes
• Brake Fluid
• Condoms
• Dental Floss
• Disposable Diapers
• Feminine Napkins
• Gasoline
• Household Hazardous Wastes
• Motor Oil
• Non-Biodegradable Items
• Paint or Solvents
• Pesticides (Insecticides, Herbicides, Fungicides)
• Pharmaceuticals/Medications 
• Rags
• Sanitary Products
• Swiffer Sweeper Pads
• Tampons
• Toys
• Wipes of any kind (There is no such thing as a “flushable wipe, no matter what the package says.)