Protecting your drinking water supply  is also your responsibility!

What is a cross connection?
Cross Connection is a physical connection between a possible source of contamination and the public drinking water system piping. This connection, if not properly protected, can lead to the contamination of the drinking water system through a backflow event.

The most common example would be a section of garden hose connected to a faucet with the other end lying in area which could become covered with water from an undesirable source such as flood waters, sump pump water, or simply soapy water in a sink.

What is backflow?
Backflow is the reversal of water flow through a cross connection from a possible source of contamination into the public drinking water system. Backflow may be caused by either backpressure or backsiphonage. A loss of pressure in the public drinking water system may lead to backsiphonage through unprotected cross connections, or backpressure may be created when the water pressure of a facility’s internal water system is elevated above the supply pressure of the public drinking water system resulting in backflow through unprotected cross connections.

What can you do to prevent backflow situations in your home or business?
• Be aware of and eliminate and/or isolate cross connections.
• Maintain air gaps on sinks and when using hoses.
• Do not submerge hoses or place them where they could become submerged.
• Use hose bib vacuum breakers on fixtures (hose connections in the basement, laundry room, and on outside faucets/spigots).
• Do not create a connection between an auxiliary water system (well, cistern, body of water) and the water supply plumbing.

Why should you be concerned?
• Backflow may affect the quality of the drinking water at your residence or facility and has the potential to create health hazards if contaminated water enters your water supply plumbing system and is used for drinking, cooking or bathing.
• Backflow events occur more often than you might think although most do not create health hazards.
• Unprotected cross-connections with water supply plumbing or public drinking water piping systems are prohibited.
• You are responsible for protecting your water supply plumbing from backflow that may contaminate your drinking water and the drinking water of others. This includes complying with the plumbing code and not creating unprotected cross connections.

If you should have any questions about cross connection control please contact the City of Omro Water Utility.

How do I contact the City of Omro Water Utility
• By phone:    685-7025
• By fax:           685-7028

The City of Omro lives up to its reputation as being a safe, proud and involved community.  This is reflected in Omro's schools, neighborhoods, churches, organizations and other community services. 

Located just 8 miles west of Oshkosh in the heart of Wisconsin's Fox River Valley, Omro offers the perfect combination of business, industry, residential amenities and recreational pleasures to win your heart.

The city works hard to maintain its excellent quality of life in order to make the community an even greater place in which to live, work, and conduct business.

Hopefully Mother Nature will give us a little reprieve from the heavy snow amounts the past 3 years. Please keep in mind the most efficient snow plowing is done with the least amount of traffic on the roads and by following a planned route as much as possible. That is why we attempt to hold off and initiate complete plowing efforts until early mornings, depending on the snowfall timing and accumulation amounts. Our intent is to have the majority of (probably not all) roads plowed before 7:00am. Again, every snow event is different and we adjust accordingly. Please be patient.  If you have any concerns, I can be reached at 685-7020. Our complete snow plow policy can be seen on our website at http://www.omro-wi.com/snow-and-ice-removal.html.

                                                                                                                                         
Ice and Snow removal
Omro City ordinance requires all owners or occupants of any lot or parcel in the City to remove any snow or sleet from the sidewalk for the total width of the sidewalk.  The sidewalk should be cleaned within 24 hours of any snowfall. Failure to do so could result in the City removing the snow and billing the owner or occupant. The City charges $120.00 per hour for snow removal.

No snow is not to be shoveled, blown, or plowed onto any City Streets. Vehicles are not permitted on sidewalks. Vehicles not only damage terraces but also can damage water shut off valves, hydrants, and signage. Any snow that is deposited on the City streets is to be removed within one hour. Failure to remove the snow will result in charges to the homeowner and a citation from the Police Department. 

Adopt a Fire Hydrant
During the winter months, sometimes Fire Hydrants seem to disappear. The large amounts of snow hide the hydrant from view. We would like all hydrants to be in plain view for the Fire Department in case they are needed. If you would like to adopt a hydrant for the winter it would be greatly appreciated by the Public Works and Fire Department. If you notice a fire hydrant that should be shoveled out, please call Public Works at 685-7025 or 685-7021 so it can be taken care of.

Sledding at Tower Park
The hill at Tower Park is very popular during the winter months. Please consider the property owners in that area. Tower Lane is a private road. No one should be parking on either side of this road. The City will try to keep an Area on the far southwest end off the road way plowed for parking.

Thank You all for your patience and consideration during our snow plowing efforts. Remember…… the plow driver has the same mess to clean up at his residence when he finally gets home.

Mark Van Pelt
Director of Public Works