The Johnson City Water and Sewer Services Department is urging residents to prepare for the cold weather by protecting your water pipes. Some tips from the city include: Eliminate drafts – Keep doors and windows in the basement and garage tightly closed. Close off crawl space vents and doors, and seal cracks in basement or crawl space walls. And Insulate – Insulate pipes in unheated portions of the house such as exterior walls, crawl spaces, basements, and cabinets.