Residents advised to prepare for hot water outage affecting Reykjavik area

Residents in a large area of the capital region are advised to shut off their hot water intake due to an upcoming water outage expected to affect nearly one-third of the population tonight and lasting until Wednesday. A plumbing expert warns of potential damage to systems if users are unprepared, recommending that people heat their homes in advance and keep windows closed.

Böðvar Ingi Guðbartsson, the chairman of the plumbing association, emphasizes the importance of residents familiarizing themselves with their heating systems. There are three main types of heating systems in the area, which may require individuals to close either the intake or both the intake and return lines, as well as shut down circulation pumps for underfloor heating.

Böðvar plans to heat his home today in preparation for the outage. A significant water line will be closed at 10 PM, impacting users in Hafnarfjörður, Garðabær, Kópavogur, Breiðholt, Norðlingaholt, and Álftanes. The loss of hot water will last at least 36 hours and affect around 120,000 people in the marked area.

Sólrún Kristjánsdóttir, managing director of Veitur, highlights the necessity to enhance water transport capacity due to a growing population. She notes that this closure will be one of the largest ever, affecting a substantial portion of the population.

Residents are advised to wait until the water supply is restored, which is projected to be around midday Wednesday, before reopening their return lines and slowly checking the intake. Users should also consult common FAQs and guidelines available on the Veitur website and social media.