Frequently Asked QuestionsWe welcome your enquiries, however, please take a moment to browse through a compilation of answers to our most commonly received questions.
Electricity and Generation
My appliance went wrong, is it Connect Saint Helena Ltd's responsibility to replace it?Where Connect Saint Helena Ltd has been negligent we will replace equipment we have damaged. In circumstances where no negligence has occurred we will not. If you want to make a claim you should log the details of what has happened and write to Connect and we will consider it. Who should I contact after hours in an emergency?David Constantine if there is an emergency relating to water. Nicky Thomas if there is an emergency relating to Electricity How do I reset my breaker when it has tripped off?First, disconnect any additional devices that may have caused the breaker to overload and trip. Reset the breaker, note, some breakers must be turned all the way off before turning back on. Remember this is a mechanical device, so this may require several attempts. If this fails to reset the breaker, there may be a more serious problem. Contact a licensed electrician to investigate to see if the problem is with your installation or Connect Saint Helena Ltd.’s. What should I do if my power goes off?First check your circuit breakers or fuses. Reset your main breaker, note too that to reset some breakers it must first be turned off and then back on. If your power is still out, check outside around your meter to verify that it is not damaged and check for fallen trees. Stay away from all downed wires. Do not step in nearby puddles or attempt to move any object that comes in contact with a wire. Do not attempt to move downed power lines. Please call Connect Saint Helena Ltd (Tel: 22255). Turn off air conditioners and large appliances and wait approximately 10 to 15 minutes after service is restored to turn back on these appliances. Note: Remember all electrical lines, cables and equipment up to and including the meter is the property of Connect Saint Helena Ltd. Who do I call if a tree falls on or near a power line?Call Connect Saint Helena Ltd immediately on 22255 during normal working days and the Power Station after working hours on 22602. Electric lines may be within the downed tree and could cause electrocution. Stay clear of any downed trees. If trees have pulled the service away from your house, repairs must be made by Connect Saint Helena Ltd before service can be restored. How long will food keep in my freezer or refrigerator if the power goes out?A fully stocked freezer will keep food for approximately 2 days. If the freezer is one-half full, estimate 1 day. Generally an unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for approximately 4 hours. After the power is restored, check the temperature in the refrigerator. The temperature should be at or below 40 degrees and the freezer should be around zero degrees. If you have any concerns regarding the safety of food, it is best to discard. What causes a power outage?Bad weather often causes power outages, trees and branches falling on power lines and natural failure of electrical components. Sometimes a car accident knocks out a power source leaving us without power for a long time. The length of the power outage will depend on the type of fault. We can never guarantee power supply because many reasons can cause outages. Why does my neighbour have power and I don’t?It's possible that your individual circuit is damaged – or, your home could be on a different main power line than your neighbours. Finally, it may be possible that your home needs internal electrical repairs before you can receive service. Should I report my power outage or do you already know my power is out?Never assume we know that your power is out. While we do have equipment installed on our lines that indicate general areas are without power, we rely on customer outage reports to help pinpoint specific areas without power. Your report will help us determine the full extent of an outage and help us more efficiently deploy our crews to restore power. Who is responsible for repairs to my meter?Connect Saint Helena Ltd is responsible for repairs to the meter itself. We are responsible for all electrical service lines and cable up to your consumer board, the service cut-out fuse and the meter. All electrical equipment beyond the meter is your responsibility. We are also responsible for the service drop, which is the line either above ground or underground running from the utility pole to your home. You are responsible for all other additional equipment at the meter location, including the service entrance cable. Contact a licensed electrician to complete any repairs that are your responsibility I'm landscaping my new home. How close to the power lines can I plant trees?It's always better to keep trees far enough away from the lines so it won't be necessary to prune them for clearance around the lines. Power Lines and Tress (create link to document) gives guidelines for tree planting near utility poles and power lines. (Please see the Power Lines and Trees document in the Download Library.) Why do my lights dim off and on?Check to see if all of your lights dim off and on because sometimes low energy bulbs nearing the end of its life will have the same effect as dimming off and on. If all of your lights dim off and on, if you have a stand light or bed side lamp check if that also dim off and on, if so, then your voltage is fluctuating. Contact a licensed electrician to investigate to see if the problem is with your installation or Connect Saint Helena Ltd.’s. What can I do during a power outage?First, find out if the outage is just in your home, or in the whole neighbourhood. If it's just your home:
If the power is out in the neighbourhood:
Water Treatment and Networks
Do I have to pay for water if there is a burst?If the burst is on the consumers system then the answer is yes. It costs money to capture, treat and distribute the water. It is prudent for consumers to regularly check their consumption to ensure they don’t have an undetected leak. I have a burst water main after the water meter?You will need to undertake the repairs yourself or call your plumber. What should I do if there is a burst water main and it’s flooding my property?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. Also, please call the Networks manager or Operations Director at Connect St Helena. Who should I contact if I see a burst water main?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. I have no water?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. What should I do if I have dirty water?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. My water pressure is low?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. How do I know what the water pressure is at my property?Contact the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255. I have white and frothy water coming out of my tap?There is air in the pipeline so let it run for a short time, after which it should clear. If the problem persists, call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. My toilet is blocked, what should I do?If you have a plunger, try unblocking it yourself. If this fails, call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. My Septic tank is full and overflowing?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. I’ve had some excavation work done on my property and burst my sewer main?You will need to undertake the repairs yourself or call your plumber. If that fails, call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. There is, what looks like, sewage running along the road?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. I’ve observed a manhole cover lifting and dropping apparently on its own?Call the Connect St Helena office during normal working hours on 22255 or the Out of Hours contractor, David Constantine from 15:30 to 08:30 - Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends or public holidays. Do not attempt to lift or place anything on it as the cover could burst off under extremely high pressure and cause serious injuries or fatalities. General and Billing
What are Connect Saint Helena Ltd's terms and conditions of service?Connect Saint Helena Ltd has terms and conditions of service for each sector. You can navigate to the Services section of our website to view. You may also visit the Download Library section to save digital versions of our terms and conditions of service. More answers to Billing related questions and queries can be found by clicking here.
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