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.

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.

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.

Some leaks may be on private property, which can be determined in the investigation. Property owners are responsible for repairing leaks on their property.

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. See instructions below.

Door tags will notify customers when the "All Clear" has been received from the testing labs.