FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. How do I open a new water account?
A. Opening a new account is easy; just call our customer service at 800-313-5589. When a request is made for new water service, basic information is taken over the phone. (Name, billing address, service address, phone numbers) A PLRWSD employee will make contact to meet or find out where the meter is wanted to be set on the property. A marker will be placed and the estimated cost will be given. If a new home is being built, a septic permit will be needed from the County Sanitarian. Water User Agreement and additional paperwork is then sent to the customer. When Water User Agreement, survey and payment in full is received, meter will be set normally within 14 days.

The estimated cost for a new water meter installed is
• $750 minimum for line side (meter on the same side of the road as the main line).
• $850 minimum for road bore (meter on the opposite side of the road as the main line).
• $1000 minimum for state highway bore (meter on the opposite side of the road as the main line and the road is a state highway).

Q. How do I transfer a water account?
A. Transferring a water account is easy; just call our customer service at 800-313-5589. Paperwork is sent and must be returned within 30 days or water service will be disrupted until received. A $25 transfer fee is added to the first bill. A $10 fee is added to the first bill if the service is transferred to a renter from owner or from existing renter to new renter.

Q. How do I open a new sewer account?
A. Opening a new sewer account is easy; just call our customer service at 800-313-5589. When a request is made for new sewer service, name, address and phone number is taken by phone and given to the sewer department. A sewer employee will make contact and determine the connection cost.

After payment has been received, we will schedule a day to come to your property and make the initial tap into our sewer system. Your contractor can proceed with hooking on to our tap. Once your contractor has completed this, we must be contacted for final inspection.

Only normal household usage is allowed to tie in to the sewer system. No gutter drains, sump pumps, or tile drains should be tied in.

The estimated cost for a new sewer service is
PHASE 1 – 4
$750 for line side
$850 for county or small road bore
$850 for highway bore plus $55 plus additional footage

PHASE 5
$1050 for line side
$1150 for county or small road bore
$1150 for highway bore plus $55 plus additional footage

WOODLAND HILLS
$550 Lot tap

Q. How do I transfer a sewer account?
A. Transferring a sewer account is easy; just call our customer service at 800-313-5589. There is no paperwork that needs to be completed by the customer, other than giving us the basic information of name, address and phone numbers. A $10 transfer fee is added to the first bill to transfer sewer.

Q. What do I do if the light and/or alarm are going off on my grinder pump?
A. Contact your local service provider Fischer Electric in Schnellville at 389-2418 to troubleshoot and make the necessary repairs.

Q. How do I stop getting a monthly minimum bill if I’m not using any water?
A. Just call our customer service at 800-313-5589 and request a Voluntary Removal Form. Once completed, we will remove your meter and the monthly minimum billings will be stopped. Please keep in mind, there is a $500 reconnect charge should you decide to have the meter reinstalled.

Q. What is the address where I should send my payment?
A. Patoka Lake Regional Water & Sewer District
PO Box 632550
Cincinnati, OH 45263-2550

Q. How much time should I allow for my payment to make it through the postal service?
A. You should allow 7 to 10 days in advance of the due date to ensure on-time arrival of your payment. Payments are considered received by the deposit date at the payment address, not by postmark on envelope.

Q. May I pay my bill over the phone?
A. No. PLRWSD is not set up to receive payments over the phone. We are always trying to improve our service to our customers and hope to be able to offer something by summer.

Q. May I pay my bill with a credit or debit card?
A. No. PLRWSD is not set up to receive payments by credit card. We are always trying to improve our service to our customers and hope to be able to offer something by summer. Most banks allow you to use their on line bank service where you can schedule your regular payments. Please see your banking institution to learn more.

Q. May I bring my payment to the PLRWSD office?
A. No. PLRWSD is not set up to receive payments at our office. Payments should be mailed to the payment address.

Q. What happens if my bank account did not have enough funds to cover my payment?
A. If your payment is rejected due to insufficient funds, you will be contacted letting you know it was rejected and a $25 charge will be assessed. A cashier check or money order will be required to pay the balance on your account.

Q. What happens if I am late on my water payment?
A. When a water account remains unpaid past the due date of the 15th, a disconnect notice is sent. The water meter may be locked on or after the date on the notice and additional service fees will apply. Should water service be locked, policy states that water service remains off overnight. Meter may be unlocked the next business day after account has been brought to current status. There is a $100 reconnect charge when a meter is locked.

Q. What happens if I am late on my sewer payment?
A. When a sewer account remains unpaid past the 15th due date, a past due notice is sent. If no payment is received on or after the date on the notice, the account is turned over to our collections attorney to collect and additional fees are applied for this service.

Q. Why is my water bill so high?
A. The most common causes of high bills are toilet and faucet leaks. These leaks are often hard to detect. You may have had to “jiggle the handle” to make a toilet stop running or a faucet may be old and difficult to turn off completely. Pools and lawn irrigation systems can also be the source of problems. During the summer, lawn watering or a hose left on may be the reason for a high bill. In the winter, pipes may freeze and burst. The following are some tips to use:

For a potential toilet leak, see The Dye Test (instructions further down this page)
For a faucet leak, see Faucet Leak Repair Tips (PDF file)
For winterization tips, see Winterization Tips (PDF file)

Q. What is the box sticking up in my yard by my water meter?
A. It is a device that allows PLRWSD meter reading personnel to electronically read meters while driving by. This device expedites meter reading substantially keeping costs down for the consumer. It is imperative these be kept in good condition, clear of landscaping and debris, to ensure accurate reading of your meter. Also, periodically maintenance is performed on the meter itself. Please make sure the lid remains uncovered and properly attached. If the lid is slightly ajar, the meter can freeze in the winter months. Should you notice any problems, please contact us.

Q. What is a Water and Sewer District?
A. The Patoka Lake Regional Water and Sewer District was organized in 1975 as an independent political entity of the State of Indiana pursuant to Indiana Statute IC 1971, 19-3-11 by the Stream Pollution Control Board of the State of Indiana for the purpose of treatment and distribution of water.

Q. Is PLRWSD considered a not-for-profit organization?
A. PLRWSD operates on a schedule of rates that reflects only operation and maintenance expenses and debt service and reserve costs. Customers are not charged for a rate of return on their investment. Therefore, PLRWSD is considered a not-for-profit organization.

Q. How is PLRWSD governed?
A. PLRWSD is governed by a seven (7) member Board of Directors to be selected as follows:
One Director representing the Indiana Department of Natural Resources appointed by the Governor of Indiana
One Director from each County of Crawford, Dubois, and Orange and shall be a County Commissioner of that County and appointed by their respective Board of Commissioners.
One Director from each County of Crawford, Dubois, and Orange shall be a resident freeholder appointed by the County Council of their respective County.

~~The Dye Test~~

Some toilet leaks are known as SILENT LEAKS, because they usually go undetected. There is an easy test you can do that will positively tell you whether or not your toilet is leaking. Do this when you are going to be able to go without flushing the toilet for five (4) to (5) hours. Like overnight or before you leave the house for work

Remove the cover on the toilet tank and carefully set it aside so it can't be accidently knocked over and cracked. Remove any "in-tank" bowl cleaners that color the water and begin the test with clear water in the tank as well as in the bowl.

You'll need some dye. Food coloring or instant coffee works fine. Another great suggestion is to use several tablespoons of a powdered fruit drink mix. Now put enough dye in the tank water to give the water a deep color. Wait the above described times and check to see if the dyed water is now in the toilet bowl -- your toilet is leaking. A properly operating toilet will store water in the tank indefinitely without any water running into the bowl.

Water on the floor around a toilet is certainly a problem. It can be dripping off a sweaty toilet tank during humid weather; it can mean the wax sealing ring under the bowl has disintegrated, or the bowl is cracked; or it can mean the connections under the tank are leaking.

For other great information on how to detect leaks go to www.toiletology.com