Water and Sewer Billing Questions


The Clerk's office is responsible for the billing of the water and sewer utility bills.  We also collect the utility payments and post them to the customer accounts.  If you have a question and can not find the answer in our FAQ's, please call us and we will be happy to assist you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - WATER AND SEWER BILLS

1.     Do you have a drop box for bill payments?

2.     Do you accept Debit/Credit card payments?

3.     Why didn't I receive a bill this month?

4.     What if I find/have a leak?

5.     Why was my bill estimated?

6.     Why is my water bill/usage so high?

7.     Why does my bill show the same amount of usage every month?

8.     What is the ‘Sprinkling Rate'?

9.     What if I need to fill my pool?

10.     I will be away from my house for more than a month; can I have my water shut off?

11.     My water was shut off for non-payment, how do I get my water turned back on?

12.     I am moving, how can I get my name off of the bill?

13.      I need to leave my faucet drip in the really cold weather so that my pipes don't freeze.  Can I get an adjustment?

 

 

1.  Do you have a drop box for bill payments?

To the right of the main entrance of the Town Hall, there is a silver square door on the  wall of the building.  This can be opened   and any payments can be left for the Clerk's Office. 

2.    Do you accept Debit/Credit card payments?

Online only!  (Click here.)   In office, we can only accept Cash, Check, or Money Orders for payments.  However, we do offer ACH (Automatic Clearing House) withdrawals from your bank account.  If you are interested in this service, come in to our office with a voided check and fill out an application form.  You can also download and print the application here

3.      Why didn't I receive a bill this month?

All bills are printed and mailed out every month the very next work day after the 15th (the date that all bills are due every month.)  If you did not receive your bill within a couple of weeks after the 15th, feel free to call our office to find out the balance owed.                                  

4.      What if I find/have a leak?

Call our office and let us know right away.  We may adjust the  your bill once you have fixed the leak.  You will need to completed and return a Leak Adjustment Application and provide the necessary documentation. Be sure to carefully read the instructions and guidelines on this application. 

5.      Why was my bill estimated?

We normally do not estimate water readings. However; there are occasions where our Water Department is unable to get a reading.  Such times consist of either a broken meter, inclement weather (snow/ice), unable to access due to fence, dog, shrubbery, vehicles, or any other kind of obstructions. 

6.      Why is my water bill/usage so high?

The national average water usage for one person per month is 2,000 gallons.  Depending on the resident's lifestyle and/or appliances, the usage can vary.   If you feel that your usage is higher than the national average consumption, you may call the Clerk's Office (574-457-3216) and schedule an appointment to have someone meet you at the residence to check your meter and/or get a data log.  

7.     Why does my bill show the same amount of usage every month?

 It is very common to see the same usage amount on your bill for a consecutive number of  months.  This does not necessarily mean that the bill was estimated. (There will be a note  on your bill if it was estimated.)  A majority of our meters are only read on a ‘per thousand' basis. For example, you will notice that your bill states that your previous reading was 160,000 and your current reading is 163,000, showing a usage amount of 3,000 gallons.  The actual meter shows that the reading was 160,250 last month, and 163,845 this month.  The reader will only register the digits before the thousandths place. 

8.    What is the ‘Sprinkling Rate'?

You must sign up every year to receive this special rate. If your usage increases in the summer due to sprinkling and watering, we may adjust the Sewer Charge only on your bill for the usage months of June, July, August, and September. We will calculate the average amount of usage for the months of December, January, February, and March. This is your 'sprinkling rate.' If your sewer charge is higher than your sprinkling rate during June, July, August, and September, you will receive an adjustment. (If you are only here for the summer months, we will average your usage for the past 13 months.)  This only applies to Single-Family Residential customers only.  You can call or sign up for this rate in the office starting in May.

9.    What if I need to fill my pool?

If you need to top off or fill your pool, you have a couple of options.  You may call our office PRIOR to starting the fill and have our Water Department come out and read your meter. They would  then come back out right after you have filled it to read your meter again to find out the actual amount of usage for the pool, allowing us to deduct this usage from the sewer portion ONLY of your bill.  This could only be done during the Public Works working hours. You may also notify our office as to when you have filled the pool and we can adjust the sewer portion only of your bill to be what your normal usage is.

10.   I will be away from my house for more than a month; can I have my water shut off?

You may call our office and schedule a time to have your water service shut off at the tap.  Once water is shut off and there is no usage, you will not be charged for water and sales tax.  Sewer and any other charges you may have will still be  billed monthly per Indiana State Code 36-9-23-25.  When you return and want your water service turned back on, you will need to call the Clerk's Office (574-457-3216) and schedule a time to have the water turned on. This is especially necessary if the water service has been turned off for a long period of time in order to find any possible pipe breakage or leaks. 

11.    My water was shut off for non-payment, how do I get my water turned back on?

In order to have the water service turned back on after being shut off for delinquency,  ALL past due charges plus a $30.00 turn on fee must be paid in our office between 7:30 AM and 3:00 PM Monday through Friday.  There must be someone present at the service address to have it turned back on.

12.    I am moving, how can I get my name off of the bill?

Call our office right away!!  We can process a final reading around the day you leave to ensure accurate charges for usage while you still reside there. If you owned the property and are selling it, we must have the new owner's information in order to change the account.  If you were renting the property, we will need to know the landlord's information so we can start sending the bills to them.  

13.     I need to leave my faucet drip in the really cold weather so that my pipes don't freeze.  Can I get an adjustment?

Yes!  Call our office and let us know that you will be letting your faucets drip and when, and we can adjust your Sewer charge only to be what you normally pay.