Water Distribution

Delivering Water to Your Tap

Defiance Water TowerThe ability to provide and deliver clean, safe, high-quality drinking water to the citizens of Defiance and surrounding communities is the mission of the City.

The Water Distribution staff consists of a Street Superintendent, Street Superintendent Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Crew Leader, and seven Operators, of which three Operators hold Class II Distribution Licenses.

  • The City maintains 152 miles of waterlines ranging from 2-inch to 16-inch lines and approximately 1,050 fire hydrants. Two elevated towers with a two-million-gallon water capacity supply water to the City of Defiance and to the areas of Brunnersburg, Ayersville, and Christy Meadows.
  • All water mains are flushed twice a year in May and October. The schedule is posted approximately a month before the flushing begins.
  • All lines are maintained up to the property owner's curb shutoff.
  • The water meters are part of the system. If you need to schedule an appointment for your meter, please contact the Utility Billing Office at 419-782-1946.

Backflow & Cross Connection

Backflow is the undesirable flow reversal in a potable water distribution system due to a cross connection. Whenever there is a physical connection between a potable water system and a non-potable environment, backflow may occur prior to either back siphonage or back pressure.

Back siphonage is backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply piping. Back pressure may cause backflow to occur whenever a potable system is connected to a non-potable supply that operates under a higher pressure by means of a pump, boiler, elevation difference, air or steam pressure, etc.

A cross connection is a connection or potential connection between any part of a potable water system and another environment containing other substances in a manner that may allow such substances to enter the potable water system. These other substances may include gases, liquids, or solids such as chemicals, waste products, steam, or water that have the potential to alter the integrity of the water in the form of odor, taste, etc.

Why We Need Backflow Cross-Connection Control

To prevent any hazards from entering the water system. Hazards may come in two forms: Health or Contaminant Hazards and Non-health or Pollutant Hazards.

  • A health or contaminant hazard is a substance that, if introduced into the potable water supply through a cross-connection or potential cross-connection, could cause death, illness, or spread disease or have a high probability of causing such effects.
  • A non-health or pollutant hazard is any substance that would generally not be a health hazard but would constitute a nuisance or be unpleasant in taste, odor, or color.
  • A backflow preventer is the key element in preventing the introduction of such hazards. Backflow preventers can be an air gap, reduced-pressure backflow prevention assembly, or a double-check valve assembly.

Backflow Requirements

The Backflow Prevention Program, established by the Water Division, is designed to enforce and manage backflow requirements established under the Ohio Revised Code 3745-95, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the codified Ordinances of the City of Defiance. The program requires that any service line connection to a public water supply that, in the judgment of the supplier of water, poses either a potential or existing hazard must have an approved backflow prevention device installed immediately downstream of the water meter and prior to any other pipe connections.

Penalty for Noncompliance

Any violation of the backflow requirements may result in immediate termination of water service without notification. Continued noncompliance will result in the loss of water service until the system is compliant.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mandate:

Due to the possible health effects of lead in our water system, the EPA has required the city to inventory all water services on both the system and customer sides. The inventory is a fluid project that continues to be updated.

 Service lines can be labeled as:

  1. lead,
  2. galvanized, requiring replacement, or
  3. non-lead.

The link to the map will assist you in seeing what the City has on record for the service line to your property.

LINK TO MAP

TAKE THE Service Line Material Survey

Call Before You Dig - It's The Law

Call 811 Before You Dig WebsiteFor Water, Sewer, Electricity, and Gas in Ohio, call 800-362-2764 or 811.

Ohio law requires that anyone digging contact the Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) at least 48 hours (excluding weekends and legal holidays) prior to beginning their work. Failure to contact OUPS could result in fines or penalties.