UTILITIES- Water/ Sewer/ Trash
Pursuant to Ordinance #7472 the city has the authority to offer discounts to senior citizens who are qualified as low income. An annual application must be submitted for review. Completed applications must be turned in by the 1st of February each year. Proof of income must be supplied.
Click the link below for qualifying information.
City of Rittman Low Income Senior Citizen Discount Info
Call the utilities department at 330-925-2059 for further details.
Handling a Sewer Backup
If you experience a sanitary sewer backup in your home or business, here's what to do.
Stop running the water and call the City of Rittman immediately, as we handle main line issues. 330-925-2059 during office hours of M-F 8:00am- 4:30pm.
After business hours contact the Rittman Police Department Dispatch at 330-925-8040. The dispatcher will advise Rittman emergency staff to check the main. If the public main is blocked or broken, the emergency crew will fix the issue. If the problem is between your home/ structure and the to connection at the City sanitary sewer main, (the private lateral), you'll likely need a plumber as it is the property owners responsibility to correct the problem. See diagram below.
Document everything: Take photos and videos of the damage for potential insurance claims.
Contact your insurance: Call your homeowner's insurance agent to see if backup coverage applies.
Safety first: Avoid touching raw sewage and wear protective gear if you must clean up.

Handling a Water Break
Report a Water Break
Water main breaks are unpredictable and occur for a number of reasons and at all times of year, but the most common reasons are age and temperature.
To report a suspected water main break or leak, call the City of Rittman immediately. During office hours of Monday- Friday, 8:00am- 4:30pm call 330-925-2059. After business hours, weekends and holidays call Rittman dispatch at 330-925-8040 and a staff member will quickly investigate the issue. When calling, it is helpful for us to know the following in formation:
The exact location with cross street or intersection
Any visible damage to the road or surrounding area
How much water is flowing
If your water service is impacted.
Some leaks may be on private property, which can be determined in the investigation. Property owners are responsible for repairing leaks on their property.
See diagram below.
Once a break is reported, City of Rittman staff will assess the issue and, depending upon the location and nature of the issue, respond appropriately. Emergency repairs may cause an outage and leave some customers without water service or experience a reduction in pressure or water discoloration.
Repair crews work as quickly as possible to make repairs and return customer's water service. An emergency repair could take 4 to 8 hours.
After Repairs are Made
When water service is restored, there may be air in your water pipes and the water may be discolored. Water breaks can stir up or dislodge mineral deposits in the water lines and rust- colored water is possible in the area. Run cold water taps/ faucets to clear the discoloration.
It is recommended to run the first water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen, such as a laundry or bath tub or an outside hose faucet.
Open the faucet slowly to allow air to escape. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run until it is clear. 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. Continue this procedure with all your faucets.
Boil Advisories
If the break results in a significant pressure drop in a service line, a boil alert may be required. These incidents are NOT common and affected customers will be advised with a door hanger. Boil advisories are issued as a precaution with a customer's best interests in mind. Once an alert is declared it must last a minimum of 24 -48 hours before a testing lab can confirm a negative result.
Door tags will notify customers when the "All Clear" has been received from the testing labs.


Refuse

The Utilities Department also serves as the City's point of contact for their contracted trash service. Currently, this is the Kimble Companies. Kimble uses carts for trash and recycling. The City has weekly trash and recycling pick-up every Tuesday. Kimble will empty each tote and pick up a maximum of ten bags of trash in addition to what is in the cart.
Kimble will also pick up one bulk item per week. Furniture with cushions or bedding (mattresses, box springs) need to be wrapped in plastic, with the plastic taped shut. If your trash or recycling is not picked up by the end of business on the assigned day, please call 330-925-2059.
Backflow Prevention & Cross Connection Control
Backflow Prevention
Backflow prevention is essential for protecting our drinking water from the dangers of backflow. Backflow Solutions, Inc. (BSI ONLINE) administers our Backflow Prevention Program, ensuring backflow prevention devices are installed and maintained in compliance with fedderal, state and local codes.
What is backflow?
Backflow is the reverse flow of water in any pipeline, causing non-potable water to flow into the public water supply. Backflow can occur when changes in water pressure create a suction effect, forcing non-drinkable water into the City’s drinking water supply. It is dangerous because it can allow drinking water in plumbing systems to become contaminated and unusabl
Informational Backflow Brochure
Backflow preventers are mechanical plumbing devices installed in a plumbing system to prevent water from flowing backward in the system. A properly installed, tested and maintained backflow preventer at the service entrance to a building or property can reliably prevent the backflow of water of an unknown quality from flowing back into the community water system.
Typically, backflow prevention devices are required for plumbing system connections that contain chemicals or industrial fluids, irrigation systems, fertilizers or auxiliary water sources (including reclaimed water).
Annual Testing
The City sends notifications, through BSI Online, to most businesses 30 days prior to their testing due date. As of 2019, the City does not require residents to install a backflow devise on older homes. The Wayne County building code requires this on all new homes and has done so for the last 20 years. For help determining if you have or need a backflow device, please contact the Utilities Director at 330-925-2062. Not all devices are testable.
What is a Cross Connection?
A connection between drinking water pipes and any source of potential contamination is a cross connection. When the water pressure changes from internal usage or water system fluctuations, contaminated water may backflow into your plumbing from unprotected cross connections. Common household cross connections are garden hoses left in chemicals or in a pool and attachments to hoses used to apply lawn chemicals.

