Frequent sights along the Griggs and Hoover Reservoirs include people with bags of bread feeding Canada Geese. Even when feeding is not occurring, signs that the geese have been there are often all over the reservoir parklands - from the waste the geese leave behind, estimated at 1.5 pounds per goose per day.

On Thursday, October 7, 2010, The Division of Power and Water within the Columbus Department of Public Utilities issued a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for E. Fifth Avenue between 7th Avenue and Yearling Road.  After sampling and testing the water from this area, no contamination has been found. The Boil Water Advisory is now cancelled and no longer necessary.

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities would like to advise customers of a 20" main water line break on East Fifth Avenue. Customers in the vicinity of the break, which occurred on E. Fifth Avenue between 7th Avenue and Yearling Road, will be experiencing low water pressure and/or a temporary loss of water service.

As a precautionary measure, once the water service is restored, those who experience a loss of water service are advised to boil all water used for cooking and drinking for one (1) minute until further notice.  The media will be notified of the “Boil Water Cancellation” after the Division of Power and Water has completed necessary sampling and analyses of the water.

Investigation continues, help from public appreciated.

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has learned that two men have been found in possession of several storm drain grates and are considered suspects in the thefts of dozens more grates over the past several days. In the week since several grates were first reported missing, the current total of stolen grates now tops 100, mostly in the south and southwest sections of the city.

Help from the public requested

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is asking for help from the public to end a recent rash of storm drain grate thefts. Since last Friday, more than 50 such thefts have been reported, mostly from the south and southwest sections of Columbus but scattered incidents have also been reported in other parts of the city. Besides these thefts from storm drain inlets maintained by the city of Columbus, there have been an unknown number of similar incidents in private apartment complexes.

One Sanitary Sewer Overflow Location Removed in 2009

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities continued to make progress on reducing sanitary sewer overflow locations and water-in-basement occurrences in 2009 through ongoing capital improvement projects and preventive maintenance programs. The results are contained in the 2009 City of Columbus Sanitary Sewer Overflow and Water in Basement Report, which was recently completed and submitted to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). Consent order agreements between the city and state require the report to be filed annually with the agency. The city also has improvements underway to reduce overflows from heavy storms in older areas built with combined sewers through the 40-year, $2.5 billion Wet Weather Management Plan, which was recently approved by the OEPA and began in 2005.

Annual Water Report Arriving This Week

The City of Columbus’ 2009 Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report will begin appearing in customer mailboxes this week. The report shows that the water pumped to more than one million customers again meets or surpasses all minimum requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and all other state and federal health standards. It also provides details about the city's drinking water quality from its three treatment plants, the treatment process and source water information.

In recognition of the national Drinking Water Week, the Columbus Department of Public Utilities hosted nearly 400 fifth-graders and teachers for the third annual Central Ohio Children's Water Festival on May 5. Demonstrations and presentations included an overview of the drinking water treatment process at the Dublin Road Water Plant, water tapping teams and hands-on activities.

Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council Member and Public Utilities Committee Chair Eileen Paley will address 400 fifth graders visiting the city's Utilities Complex to learn more about the water treatment process during National Drinking Water Week.

Clearing catch basins can help alleviate standing water from rainfall, snow melt.

The heavy snows from recent weeks are melting in today’s above-freezing temperatures, and Mayor Michael B. Coleman is asking residents to assist crews from the city’s Public Utilities and Public Service departments by clearing the areas around catch basins on their streets.

City’s “Engineer of the Year” to be announced. 

Guided by some of the city’s top public engineers, 19 local high school students will take part in the annual “Engineer for a Day” program and receive a first-hand look at the jobs of tomorrow in the field of Public Engineering. As part of the day’s events, the city’s “Engineer of the Year” will be honored during a ceremony at City Hall.

Expected benefits include conservation, sewer capacity, public awareness

Dozens of residents in Clintonville will take part in a pilot rain barrel project, thanks to a partnership between the Columbus Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW) and Greif, a worldwide packaging company headquartered in Delaware, Ohio. Under terms of legislation recently passed by Columbus City Council, FLOW will administer the program with just under $9,700 from DPU and 250 rain barrels provided free of charge by Greif.

New Signage Recently Installed

As winter weather descends upon central Ohio and school-aged children hope for their first "snow day," the Columbus Department of Public Utilities would like to remind residents in the Hoover Reservoir area that downhill sledding, snowboarding or skiing is not permitted on the city-owned sloped land around the reservoir or dam due to safety reasons. The Blendon Township Police Department will be assisting the City of Columbus in enforcing the rule beginning this winter in order to avoid injuries. Signage was recently installed (please see example) in areas where sledding and other winter recreational activities have occurred in the past, sometimes resulting in injuries. Pulling children along in sleds and cross country skiing on non-sloped areas is still permitted at the Hoover Reservoir.