What are some ways to save on my water bill?

Indoors:
• Perform periodic checks on your fixtures for leaks, defects, or breakages.
​• Install efficient shower heads and faucets aerators.
          Recommended:
                    - Kitchen faucet aerators: 2.0 gallon per minute flow recommended
                    - Bathroom faucets: 1.5 gallon per minute flow. Look for shower heads with flows of no more than 2.0 gallon per minute.
                    - Shower heads: no more than 2.0 gallons per minute. 
• Replace old toilets and clothes washer with new water-saving models.
                              Modern front-loading clothes washers use almost 50% less water than the older top-loading model.
                                             As well, installing a new toilet could save up to 10% from older 1990's models
                                                                             and as much as 60% from the older 1980's toilet models.
• Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth or doing the dishes. (Running tap uses anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 gallons per minute)
• Wait to machine-wash clothes and dishes until you can run a full load.

Outdoors:
​• Ensure your water hose is off when not in use. 
​• Program irrigation systems appropriately for each season.
                    - Consider upgrading your irrigation system with water-efficient technologies such as low-volume
                                         irrigation (e.g. drip and bubblers) and weather-based controllers.
​​• Water early in the morning to limit water lost to evaporation.​
​​• Cover exposed soil with at least 2 inches of mulch.

Did you know that a running toilet can waste 2 gallons of water a minute?  
​A quick, inexpensive way to check for a toilet leak is to put a dark colored food dye or Koolaid in the tank and check back in 15 minutes to see if the color has thinned or is gone. 

If you can tell the water has gotten clearer, you likely have a leak. 

What do I need to know about cold weather?

Homeowners should take precautions to help protect their property from damage. Weatherproofing your home against the cold will help protect your indoor plumbing against the threat of breaks.

Alamo Water Management encourages its customers to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of freezing pipes that could burst.

•  Know what areas of your home, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing.
• Caulk around door frames and windows and around pipes where they enter the house to reduce incoming cold.
• Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors. Close all air vents located in the foundation wall.
• Protect your pipes. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire; newspaper or fabric may also work. Remove, drain and store hoses used outdoors.
• Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing.
• If you have an attached garage, keep its doors shut. Occasionally, plumbing is routed through this unheated space, leaving it vulnerable.
• Know where your home's primary water shut-off valve is located. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.
• Drain in-ground sprinkler systems: Check the manufacturer's instructions for the best way to do this.
• Insulate backflow devices, wrap exposed pipes and device with insulation outdoor backflow devices should have a "hot box" and use electrical heat tracing wire to prevent freezing.

​When temperature fall below zero:

If you have pipes that are vulnerable to freezing, allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to the cost of repairing a broken pipe.

What can I do about utility scams?

An increase in reported utility scams nationwide involves callers claiming to represent utility companies, demanding payment for a past-due balance through a prepaid card and threatening to shut off service if payment is not received.  This is an attempt at fraud. Some of the attempts have included emails and phone calls, but the Town of Alamo Service discourages all customers from providing personal, confidential information to any unknown party. Please report suspicious calls or other types of contact to your local police department or Federal Trade Commission.

How to Avoid Falling for Scams:

• Be wary of giving personal information over the phone. Never provide your Social Security Number, credit card number or banking information to anyone requesting it over the phone or at your home unless you initiated the contact and feel confident with whom you are speaking.
• Use your own personal information. Always pay your bills with your own personal information; never pay your bills with information that is not yours.
• Do your research.  If you receive a call claiming to be your utility company and feel pressured for immediate payment or personal information, hang up the phone and call the customer service number on your utility bill.
• Beware of the door-to-door sales approach. Never allow anyone into your home to check electrical wiring, natural gas pipes or appliances unless you scheduled an appointment or reported a utility problem. Always ask utility employees for proper identification.
• Be proactive. If you already have provided information to someone claiming to offer this service, contact your bank immediately. Also contact the three national credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - and request a notation made on your account so that it doesn't impact your credit rating.
• Inform others. Share this information with friends and family so they do not become victims. The elderly are common victims of this type of scam, but anyone who pays a utility bill is a potential victim.

Contact Information

After Hours Emergency
To report a Water Leak or Emergency please call the Town of Alamo at 731-696-4515 after normal business hours to receive help for a utility emergency. Your call will be forwarded to the On Call employee for help.

Before You Dig
 Before starting any digging or excavating project, Tennessee law requires that a locate request be placed. Placing a locate request is free and easy. Call 811 or 1-800-351-1111. BEFORE YOU DIG, during your call, you will be asked a series of questions designed to help pinpoint the location of your project. The Water Department will respond to your request and mark the approximate location of their lines within three working days.