Electric Outages

The Paris Board of Public Utilities makes every possible effort to provide inexpensive and reliable electric and water service to our customers.  On occasion a power outage affecting you may occur.  Some of the most common reasons are automobile accidents involving power poles, fallen trees, limbs on the lines, storms, and animal contacts.  Although the BPU has continued to decrease the number of power outages that occur each year, we hope that you never need the following information.  Listed below are a few tips if a power outage should occur: 

SUPPLIES TO KEEP ON HAND:

            1.     FLASHLIGHT WITH FRESH BATTERIES
            2.     MATCHES
            3.     CANDLES
            4.     SPARE FUSES
            5.     PORTABLE RADIO WITH FRESH BATTERIES

Check fuses or breakers in your switch box panel.  If fuses or breakers are okay, call BPU.  Be prepared to give your name, telephone number, address, and if you heard any loud noises, seen flashes of light, or any specific information to determine the problem quicker.

Main disconnect switches may be located outside under the meter base, or at another location in your home.

Check to see if your neighbors' lights are off.  Even if your neighbor's light are on, don't hesitate to call BPU.

Turn off all major electrical appliances that were on when the power went off, especially air conditioners or electric heating.  You will want to leave one light switch on so you will know when your power has been restored.

STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES or any type of utility equipment.  Please note the location of the downed line or poles and call BPU.  Even lines that look harmless can be dangerous.

In the even of a major outage caused by an ice storm, tornado or some other natural disaster, BPU will broadcast messages with all information that is available.

If your power is still out once your neighbor's homes have been returned to service, you should contact BPU.

Food will last much longer in your refrigerator and freezer if the door is not opened.  Please do not open the door to check on the contents.

Make sure that each member of your family know where your A power outage@ kit is located and what to do if an outage occurs when you’re not home.

Customer’s Water Service Problems 

            Need water cut off because of burst pipes, leaks, etc, the customer should:

Have a cut-off valve on the customer's side of their water meter and possibly another cut-off valve at the customer's house or building.

If the customer does not have or can't find their cut-off valve(s) and have a plumber on site, then the plumber can cut off the water by using our cut off valve located on our side of the water meter.

If there is no water, our personnel will come and cut off the water, at our water meter, during normal working hours by calling the BPU. After normal working hours, weekends, and holidays, our personnel will respond to cut off the water, at our water meter, in extreme emergencies, by calling (731) 642-1322.

            During extreme cold weather, usually a lengthy period of outside temperatures of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below, the customer should:

                        Make sure the building's foundation is air tight and all foundation ventilation vents shut.

                        Leave a small stream of water flowing from both the cold and hot water faucet.  This should preferably be done at the faucet that is the furthest from where the customer this their water service line comes into the building.

                        If the customer does not have water due to extreme cold weather, and after all precautions take the customer should call (731) 642-1322.  Our personnel will respond to determine if the problem is ours or the customer's.

Customer’s Wastewater Service Problems 

If our customer has a stoppage in their wastewater service line, then our personnel will respond to check to see if the main wastewater line, usually in the street, is causing the problem, by call (731) 642-1322.

If the problem is in our main wastewater main, we will unstop our main line.  If our main line is flowing freely, then the customer will be told to contact a plumber to rod out the customer's wastewater service line, all the way to our main line.