Preparing for Winter Weather Extremes

The City of Lakeland has implemented a Snow and Ice Plan for December through March (updated each year, as needed).

This plan describes the process and procedures the City will implement in the event of snow or ice. Safety tips for driving are also included in the informational below.

Review the Snow and Ice Control Plan brochure (PDF) .

Burst Water Pipes

A burst water pipe or water heater is considered to be an emergency situation if the leak is inside your home or business, and if it poses a danger of flooding the building. If you need to report an emergency, please call the MLGW 24-hour Emergency Hotline at 901-528-4465.

MLGW employees are available 24-hours a day to respond to such emergencies. They will immediately respond to your call by turning off the water supply to help minimize any water damage that your property may sustain.

Taking Precautions

To avoid water pipes breaking due to the cold temperatures, residents are advised to run at least one faucet in their home or business at a thin stream.

This allows water to flow through the pipes and lowers the risk of broken water lines during freezing conditions. Unlike other liquids, water expands when it freezes. When water pipes freeze, the expanding water can break the pipe, and customers can be left with a thoroughly soaked house, when the pipes thaw.

Also, leave kitchen and bathroom sink cabinet doors open to warm the pipes.

Additional Tips on Dealing with Extremely Cold Weather

• Insulate all outside pipes with cloth or a similar material to help prevent freezing. Styrofoam covers are sold at hardware and other retail stores. All piping in attics, including those to water heaters, should be protected as well.
• If you have a backflow assembly on your water service line, it too may freeze with very cold temperatures. Insulate the assembly properly by wrapping or covering the pipe. Do not cover the bottom relief opening on the underside at the middle of the apparatus to avoid creating other flooding problems.
• Commercial water customers should also wrap any fire lines in their buildings. Disconnect any outside water hoses from spigots, as water trapped inside can freeze and crack the hose.
• Be extra careful when using supplemental heating units. Make sure all combustible materials, such as drapes or chairs, are several feet away from any heating unit.
• To reduce the chance of fire, avoid using flammable liquids to start fireplaces and do not leave a fireplace unattended. Most importantly, check your smoke detector to make sure it is working properly.
• If you are cold outside, your pet is too. If possible, bring outside pets indoors during cold snaps, especially at night when temperatures dip to their lowest.
• Check in on neighbors and family members who may be more susceptible to cold weather conditions, such as the elderly or disabled.

Snow and Ice Removal Map