What to do if your tap goes dry 1. Check the water level in your cistern. If you are not getting water, it could be because your cistern pump or pressure tank has failed.  Feed a tape measure down your cistern’s stand pipe and check the water level.  If there is more than a foot of water, the problem is probably with your own plumbing hardware.  MMWC customers are responsible for servicing their own plumbing hardware.  Call a plumber to check your system out. If your cistern is empty, your cistern or the service line feeding it could have a leak.  The main to your cistern could be frozen or leaking or temporarily shut off to provide pressure to other parts of the distribution system.  Call MMWC at 689-2527 to discuss the problem or leave a message.  MMWC staff routinely check messages every day, including weekends.  In the event of an emergency, Don Hindman can be reached at 689-2097 (home) or 244- 7474 (cell). 2. Shut off your pump so it does not overheat and burn out. If your cistern is dry, don’t leave your cistern pump running.  It may overheat and burn out.  If your cistern pump is served by a dedicated breaker switch, shut the breaker switch off.  Otherwise, disconnect the power by some other suitable means. 3. Keep at least 5 gallons of water on hand for emergencies. It is a good idea to have some water in suitable containers - at least five gallons - for emergency purposes. 4. Understand MMWC’s practices on water delivery by truck. When water service is interrupted due to a freeze or break in a MMWC main, it has long been MMWC’s practice to truck a reasonable amount of water, at reasonable intervals, to MMWC’s affected customer.  If a customer's service line is frozen or inoperable and MMWC needs to deliver water, the fees start at $50/load.  Understand MMWC’s limits on the timing and frequency of such deliveries.  See MMWC’s August 10, 2010 Resolution Regarding Water Delivered by Truck. Copyright © 2009-2011 MMWC Director Eric W. Cernyar