Current ice and snow conditions have been fairly mild in Fremont, compared to the rest of Seattle, and King County. Also, with the Federal Holiday – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) wanted to reassure customers that normal garbage pickups are still expected, with restrictions in hilly locations.
If your collection is missed, please leave materials out for one more day. If materials still have not been collected by 5p on Tuesday, please put them out on the next regularly scheduled pick up day. Missed customers will be allowed to set out double the normal amount allowable of garbage, at no additional charge. Find your collection day on-line, or call 206/684-3000.
SPU has also warned about how melting snow can overwhelm storm drains, when they get blocked by leaves and street debris. Backed up gutters and drains can cause localized flooding.
If a street drain appears blocked, try to safely clear a channel to provide a path for runoff. For drains that cannot be cleared, call SPU at 206/386-1800.
To avoid freezing pipes, and flooding, keep pipes – even in vacant or unused portions of your building (basements, garages, attics and crawl spaces) – warm enough. Better protect indoor sink pipes against exterior walls by opening under-sink cabinet doors, allowing heat to circulate. Set the thermostat no lower than 55-degrees Fahrenheit, day or night, even if the space will be unoccupied.
Do not leave water running in unoccupied buildings, SPU warns, because the drain could plug and cause a flood.
If a water pipe does break, immediately close the main shut-off valve to stop the flooding. Seattle residents can call 206/386-1800 for help turning off the water at the meter, for a standard service charge.
For information from the City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management, and tips on how to ‘Take Winter By Storm,’ check their website. A list of breaking news notices can be seen on-line. Also a list of school closures can be referenced on-line.