Tulsa Water Situation, Winter Weather Update - Feb. 26

2/26/2021

Today, the City of Tulsa has lifted its voluntary boil order and is no longer asking its water customers to conserve water.

The decision comes after seeing increased water levels in storage tanks and a decreased pumpage rate (still above normal but getting closer to normal) from the City’s water treatment plants.

Crews have returned to normal response times and the situation has stabilized.

Though Tulsa water customers are no longer being asked to conserve water, the City does ask for people to use water wisely, as pumpage rates are still a bit higher than normal for this time of the year.

Following a peak of more than 1,700 Tulsa water customers without water about a week ago, there are currently less than 100 residential customers impacted by waterline breaks and repairs. Currently, there are six water shutoff situations, with 74 residential customers and 46 businesses impacted.

Since the start of this event, crews have responded to 430 mainline water breaks.

Flushing Water Lines

Though there are no confirmed water quality issues and the water is safe for consumption, sometimes sinks, drains and other odors associated with premise plumbing can be mistaken for odor in drinking water. If Tulsa water customers are experiencing an odor and to diagnose whether the odor they are noticing is due to premise plumbing or the drinking water provided to their location, follow the steps below:

1. Take a clear glass, smell the glass; if there is no odor proceed to next steps
2. Take a first draw sample out of the tap – walk away from the sink (again – sometimes sinks and faucets can contribute to odor issues)
3. Smell the water – note if the odor is present
4. Let the faucet run for 5 minutes and using the same glass as before, take another sample from the tap – walk away from the sink
5. Smell the water – note if is the odor is present
6. Keep repeating steps 3-4 and see whether the odor is diminished with longer flushing times, if so – then the issue is most likely due to premise plumbing – You can flush lines throughout the home until the odor is removed.

If the odor does not get better with flushing – contact Water Quality Assurance at (918) 591-4378 for further assistance.

Water Station Updates

Due to the stabilization of Tulsa’s water system, all water stations will be taken offline by the end of business today. For the few residents who are still without water due to repairs being made, the City asks they call 211, who will be able to provide assistance.

Streets Update

The City’s winter weather response started Monday, Feb. 8, as brine crews started on 24-hour operations to treat City streets. After the first icing event, the City turned to snow removal and plowing operations. Crews worked in this 24-hour response for nearly two weeks.

Street crews have now turned their focus to repairing potholes. The City is asking residents to help report these potholes by utilizing 311. Residents can call 311, report potholes online at www.Tulsa311.com or download the Tulsa311 app and report them directly through the app.

Disaster Assistance

Yesterday, FEMA issued a major disaster declaration to Tulsa County municipalities to help residents financially impacted by recent weather events.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses as a result of the winter weather that occurred between Feb. 9, 2021, and Feb. 20, 2021, can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585.

Assistance can include grants for:

• Temporary housing and home repairs
• Low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses
• Other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster

Before beginning the process to apply for disaster relief, people should have these items on hand:

• Residence address
• Social security number
• Insurance information
• Damage information
• Pre-tax household income
• Permanent and temporary phone number
• (Optional) Bank direct-deposit information including the bank name, account type, routing and account numbers

Plumbing Repair Grants

The City’s Working in Neighborhoods (WIN) Department is providing grants of up to $5,000 to assist homeowners with emergency plumbing repairs related to the recent cold snap.

To qualify, eligible homeowners who meet HUD’s income guidelines must complete an application and return it to the City of Tulsa/WIN for review and verification.

Applications can be found online at www.cityoftulsa.org/winhousing. Residents can also call (918) 576-5552 to request an application or to ask questions.

Applications can be returned by:

• Email - housing@cityoftulsa.org   
• Fax - (918) 699-3239
• Mail – Send a letter to the City of Tulsa
• Attn: WIN Housing 
• 175 E 2nd St, Suite 480 
• Tulsa, OK 74103  
• In Person – City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 175 E. 2nd St. on the 2nd floor (main entrance)

The deadline to submit applications is March 19, 2021.

Courtesy Leak Credit Program

For Tulsa water customers who could see higher utility bills due to water leaks on private lines, the City of Tulsa has a courtesy credit for qualifying water leak events. Though not all events qualify, some do. If approved, qualifying Tulsa water customers will receive a credit in future utility bills. More detailed information on qualifying events and how to request a credit can be found at: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/utilities  

Tulsa water customers who receive, or expect to see, higher water bills as the result of a water leak can setup a payment arrangement plan until their credit request is reviewed and/or granted. Customers needing to setup payment plans can call 311 to speak to a Customer Care representative or use the automated phone system by calling (918) 596-9511 to arrange equal monthly installments for 30, 60 or 90 days.