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Water Emergencies

There are no active water emergencies at this time.

Frozen or Broken Water Pipes

Frozen or Broken water pipes can be alarming, but DO NOT CALL 9-1-1. Please only use 9-1-1 for police, fire, or life-threatening medical help.

Learn how you can prevent your pipes from freezing and what to do if they do freeze or break.

On the left side of the image, a water line is shown running from the water main to the water meter, labeled as the responsibility of the water utility. On the right side, the line extends from the water meter to the home, marked as the responsibility of the homeowner.

Water service lines are a shared responsibility between Hillsboro Water and the homeowner. Hillsboro Water is responsible from the water main to the water meter, while homeowners are responsible from the water meter to the home. If you have a broken pipe in your home, follow these steps:

Locate your emergency water shut-off valve (usually in your basement, garage, crawl space, or under your home) and turn off your water by turning the handle to the right until it is snug.
Turn on all of your faucets and flush your toilet(s) to drain the rest of the water from your pipes. This will reduce the pressure from the burst pipe.
Document the damage by taking pictures with your phone or camera for your landlord and/or insurance claim before doing any cleanup. Contact a licensed plumber to make repairs.

Boil Water Notices

Boil Water Notices are issued as an emergency measure to protect public health. Boil Water Notices may be issued as a result of a loss of pressure in the distribution system (which can allow potentially harmful bacteria to enter the water supply) or after a positive test result for E.coli bacteria in the water system (which can cause sickness and impact people with weakened immune systems).

If your residence is placed under a Boil Water Notice, customers should only use bottled water or bring water from their tap to a rolling boil for one full minute, allow the water to cool before using, and store the cooled water in a clean container with a cover.

Bottled water or boiled water that has cooled should be used for:

Drinking
Making ice
Brushing teeth
Washing fruits and vegetables
Washing dishes
Preparing food and baby formula
Making coffee
Cleaning food contact surfaces
Giving water to pets

If you cannot boil water or drink bottled water during a Boil Water Notice, treat your water prior to consumption.

Boil Water Notices are lifted once test results show no bacteria in the water supply.

Contact Information

Hillsboro Water provides water emergency response 24 hours a day. Report a leak, main break, or emergency service problem.