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Bellevue Utilities latest news on preventing frozen pipes, detecting costly water leaks, and gathering community input on stormwater and flooding.

How to protect your pipes during freezing temperatures

Winter brings frigid temperatures and, when temperatures plummet, the water that supplies your home's faucets and fixtures is in danger of freezing inside your pipes. Frozen pipes are prone to bursting, which can result in costly water leaks and plumbing repairs. At the highest risk of freezing are pipes that run against exterior walls and those in unheated or uninsulated places, such as the attic, basement, or garage.

Prevent frozen pipes 

• Insulate pipes and faucets in exposed or unheated areas. Outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated attics, garages, and crawl spaces are most vulnerable to freezing. For pipes that tend to freeze even when insulated, electrical heat tape may help.
• Disconnect outside hoses and drain any water remaining in the hose and hose bib.
• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals out of the reach of children.
• Let the cold water drip from the faucet when the weather is very cold outside. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. Set to a temperature no lower than 55°F if going away during cold weather.
• Winterize vacant buildings for homes or properties left unheated for an extended time:
  • Turn off the main water shut-off valve and water heater.
  • Open indoor and outdoor faucets to drain the pipes.
  • Drain irrigation systems.
  • Flush toilet to drain toilet tanks, but not toilet bowls.

What to do if your pipes freeze or break?
You may have a frozen water pipe if you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out. Find important information on what to do at BellevueWa.gov/winterize. 

Suspect a water leak?

Drips and leaks at your home allow water and your money to go down the drain. A slow drip can use up to 15 to 20 gallons a day, while a toilet that keeps running can waste thousands of gallons of water a year. Leaks are estimated to waste more than 10% of indoor water supply, driving up water and sewer costs. Conserve water and save money by finding and fixing leaks.

Have a higher-than-normal water bill?

If you have received a high-water bill or a leak notification, do not panic. Water leaks can be common, and many are easy to detect and fix on your own.

What you can do.

Bellevue Utilities’ new customer service portal is the easiest way to verify if you have continuous water use or potential leaks. The portal includes helpful step-by-step guidance for leak detection. You can also:

• View hourly water usage and spot continuous flow
• Get automatic leak alerts
• Set usage thresholds and alerts 

How to check your usage.

• Log in to the portal at BellevueWa.gov/utilities-billing. If you do not have an existing account, you can register when you click on the portal link.
• Select Usage Insight, then Understand Usage.
• Look for 24/7 continuous water usage. This is a strong indication of a leak.

Share your input on stormwater and flooding

No one likes flooded streets, polluted waterways, or declining plant and animal habitats. Bellevue is updating the Storm and Surface Water Plan that addresses these concerns, and your feedback can help shape how we protect our environment and community.

Be heard and take the survey 

Managing stormwater after it rains affects every Bellevue resident in some way—and that is why your feedback is essential. Let the city know your thoughts on flooding, pollution and waterway health by taking a quick online survey by Jan. 1, 2026.

• What is stormwater? Rainwater that flows over rooftops, streets, landscaping, and parking lots, often picking up pollution on its way to local lakes and streams.
• What is surface water? Water in streams and lakes, as well as wetlands.

Why does it matter?

Even if you don't think about stormwater daily, its effects are all around us. A well-planned stormwater system means:

• Less flooding during heavy rains
• Cleaner water in our lakes and streams for swimming, fishing and boating
• Healthier habitats for salmon and other local wildlife
• Minimized erosion and fewer landslides

To prevent flooding, Bellevue Utilities installs storm drains and ditches along streets and parking lots to collect runoff. Stormwater treatment facilities remove pollutants. To help salmon and other wildlife, the city has been removing old culverts and opening up streams.

The new plan will replace the current one, which was adopted in 2016. As part of the update process, the city is analyzing the current stormwater system, identifying challenges, recommending improvements and updating policies to match local growth, new regulations and environmental needs. 

Have questions or ideas? The project team wants to hear from you directly. tbarrios@bellevuewa.gov. Details and the survey are available at BellevueWa.gov/ssw-plan.

Bellevue Utilities News is available online and in other languages at BellevueWA.gov/utilities-news.

可在以下网站用中文查看《贝尔维尤市公用事业新闻》(Bellevue Utilities News):BellevueWA.gov/utilities-news.

벨뷰 유틸리티 뉴스 (Bellevue Utilities News)는BellevueWA.gov/utilities-news 웹사이트에서 한국어로 이용하실 수 있습니다

«Коммунальные новости Бельвью» (Bellevue Utilities News) имеется нарусском языке по адресу BellevueWA.gov/utilities-news.

Novedades de Bellevue Utilities (Bellevue Utilities News) está disponible enespañol en BellevueWA.gov/utilities-news.

Tin Tức Về Tiện Ích của Bellevue (Bellevue Utilities News) có bằng tiếng Việttrong BellevueWA.gov/utilities.