BALTIMORE, MD – The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is prepared to respond to the record snow that is expected to blanket the City starting Friday afternoon, DPW Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E., announced.

“DPW workers are prepared to work around the clock to respond to weather-related water and trash concerns,” Director Chow said. “The agency has made some initial adjustments to our operations as we prepare for the storm.”

Street sweeping is cancelled for Friday, Jan. 22, and throughout the weekend. DPW will evaluate over the weekend whether to offer street sweeping service on Monday, Jan. 25.

Additional DPW operational announcements include:

• Trash and recycling pick-up for Friday, Jan. 22, will occur as scheduled.
• DPW drop-off centers are closed Saturday, Jan. 23.
• Bulk collection for Friday, Jan. 22 will occur as scheduled.
• Roll-off containers scheduled for community cleanups on Saturday, Jan. 23 are cancelled.

Keep the Pipes Protected

Pipes and utility meters can freeze when the temperature remains below 25 degrees for extended periods of time. The following tips will help protect water lines during periods of cold weather:

• Let a thin stream of cold water run from a basement faucet. The stream should be a continuous flow, about the thickness of a pencil lead.
• If your interior pipe is frozen, warm it with hot air from a blow dryer where it enters your house.
• Know the location of the water shutoff valve in your home. Check it periodically to ensure it works properly.
• Shut off water to outside faucets.
• Monitor your sump pump. A frozen drain pipe could result in a flooded basement.
• Insulate pipes in unheated parts of your house. Be alert if you have had frozen pipes in the past.
• Keep bottled water on hand.
• Consider getting a service protection policy for your exterior water/sewer lines. Baltimore has partnered with HomeServe USA to provide this low-cost protection. Please visit BaltimoreServiceRepairs.com for details.

The Department of Public Works maintains outdoor water lines up to and including the meter. Water lines running from the meter to the house, and internal plumbing, are the responsibility of the property owner.

For water emergencies in Baltimore City please call 311, or 410-396-5352 in our Baltimore County service area.

Stay Connected With DPW

Trash and recycling collections may be canceled if weather conditions warrant. Check our website, publicworks.baltimorecity.gov, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BaltimoreCityDepartmentofPublicWorks), Twitter (twitter.com/@BaltimoreDPW), Nextdoor.com (Baltimore City Department of Public Works), and stay tuned to local media for updates on changes to regularly scheduled pickups and collection locations and other DPW notifications.