The Water Department

Until the mid-1990’s, the City of Hubbard operated its own water treatment facility. The Water Department managed wells at various locations throughout the community, treated water at the North Main Street Water Treatment Plant, and maintained the distribution system. However, the prohibitive nature of enacted environmental laws and other stringent requirements made updating the Water Treatment Plant financially impossible. In late 1994, the Water Treatment Plant processed its last gallons of water and the City of Hubbard began wholesale purchasing of water from Aqua-PA’s Pennsylvania Water Company.

The City of Hubbard remains under contract with Aqua-PA’s Water Company for twenty years. At the present time, the City of Hubbard purchases nearly 800,000 gallons of water per day. The water is treated by Aqua-PA’s Water at a processing plant near the Shenango Reservoir. The water is transferred to Hubbard from its Pennsylvania origin via a twenty-inch waterline running along Route 304.

Although a great effort is placed upon maintenance of the water distribution system, a new focus has become the reconstruction of and major infrastructure repairs to the 80-year-old water lines. The city is currently engaged in projects for looping dead-end water lines, city-wide leak detection surveys, and other means of improving water clarity and quality.

To read the Consumer Confidence Report, visit: https://tinyurl.com/4sjv94v4  or click the link on the right of this page.

The City of Hubbard did not have any water treatment violations in 2020. If you have any questions please call 330-261-6355 or 330-509-3720.

IF YOU EXPERIENCE A WATER BREAK OR ANY TYPE OF WATER ISSUES, PLEASE CALL:

Monday thru Friday, 8am to 4pm: (330) 534-3054

Between the hours of 4pm to 8am and Weekends: (330) 534-1133

Water Boil Advisory

The city is required to issue a water boil advisory when there is a drop in water pressure within the distribution system. The advisory is mandated when the pressure in the waterline drops below 20 psi. A boil alert typically occurs when a waterline is taken out of service for repair and the waterline is drained. Advance notice of boil alerts will be issued to residents ahead of scheduled construction activities. However, emergency situations arise that make advance notice impossible. It should be noted that the majority of emergency waterline breaks can be repaired without a boil advisory. Breaks that require the line to empty for the repair will cause an advisory to be issued.

When an advisory affects a limited area, residents receive individual notification. The city will hang boil alert tags on the front door of residences to inform residents of the advisory. A tag is left on the door when the advisory is terminated. During a city-wide alert, notification is sent to the news media: television, radio and newspapers. Also, a notification will be placed at: cityofhubbard-oh.gov, the City’s official website.

During a boil advisory, residents are encouraged to bring water to a boil for two to three minutes prior to drinking or using water for cooking. A boil advisory does not mean that the water is contaminated, but due to the temporary lack of pressure in the system, water could backflow into the pipes. The water supply is chlorinated and offers protection to the residents, however, sensitive populations, such as the elderly, children or immune-compromised individuals are at an increased risk. Residents that are given advance notice of a boil advisory have the opportunity to store drinking water. However, advance notice is impossible during emergency repairs. Therefore, residents are encouraged to keep drinking water on hand for emergency boil alerts.

The city must perform bacteriological testing to terminate the boil advisory. After the waterline is repaired and the pressure is restored, a water sample from the distribution system is taken to a local lab. The lab processes the sample and performs the testing. A twenty-four hour incubation period is necessary to detect the presence of bacteria. A negative test result will terminate the boil advisory. A positive result will continue the boil advisory and require resampling. The boil advisory will remain in effect until a negative test result is obtained. Each subsequent testing, if required, will each take a minimum of twenty-four hours. Therefore, a boil advisory can last anywhere from forty-eight (48) to ninety-six (96) hours, depending on the results of bacteriological sampling.

Backflow Prevention

Backflow is the undesirable reversal of the flow of water or mixtures of water and other undesirable substances from any source (such as used water, industrial fluids, gasses, or any substance other than the intended potable water) into the distribution pipes of the potable water system. Backflow occurs as a result of a “cross-connection” within the water system, which exists when there is any actual or potential connection between a potable water system and any other source or system through which it is possible to introduce into the potable system any used water or other substance. The need for cross-connection control exists in all types of premises, whether industrial or residential. Backflow prevention devices help protect the public safety by preventing potable water contamination in such critical areas as municipal water systems, food processing plants, medical and dental water supplies, and many industrial applications.

Commercial/Industrial

Backflow is the undesirable reversal of the flow of water or mixtures of water and other undesirable substances from any source (such as used water, industrial fluids, gasses, or any substance other than the intended potable water) into the distribution pipes of the potable water system. Backflow occurs as a result of a “cross-connection” within the water system, which exists when there is any actual or potential connection between a potable water system and any other source or system through which it is possible to introduce into the potable system any used water or other substance. The need for cross-connection control exists in all types of premises, whether industrial or residential. Backflow prevention devices help protect the public safety by preventing potable water contamination in such critical areas as municipal water systems, food processing plants, medical and dental water supplies, and many industrial applications. All commercial/industrial accounts should have surveyed by the city of Hubbard Water Department. If you believe your location was not surveyed, please print and fill out the paper in the link below.

Residential customers

Cross-connections for residential customers are handled in the same fashion. Why does the need for backflow exist in residential settings? Normally water enters your home from the water main supply, and it should only flow in one direction: in your home. Occasionally, due to pressure changes in the piping, water can flow backward from your home into the water main supply.  An example of this is when there is an increase in water demand for the system, such as for a fire or a water main break.  This will cause the water from certain areas to flow water in a different direction and may cause water to flow from your home back into the water main supply. This type of backflow can contaminate the potable water system with chlorine from pools, fertilizers/pesticides, or contamination from a well. Please note that all homes will not present a hazard to the potable water system.

If there are questions on the information, please call Bill Collins at 330-534-6289. Additionally, we appreciate your effort to review/complete the city of Hubbard’s Backflow Questionnaire (link below) Thanks for keeping our water safe!

For more information on cross connections control and backflow visit the OEPA link:

http://epa.ohio.gov/Portals/28/documents/pws/PWS-02-003%20brochure.pdf