Williamsport Municipal Water Authority

Water meters are normally located at the point where the water pipe comes through the foundation. Usually it can be found in your home’s basement or utility room. In certain situations it may be necessary for the meter to be located in an outside meter pit. If this occurs, the meter pit is installed and maintained at the owner’s expense. If you cannot find the meter, please call our office for assistance.

2. Where is my emergency water shut-off located?

In the event of a water emergency in your home, everyone in your household should know where the master water shut-off valve is located. Usually, it is next to or near your water meter on the inlet side.

3. How do I determine if I have a water leak?

The best method for determining whether a leak exists is to take actual water meter readings. This method checks the entire internal plumbing system for water leaks. Take a water meter reading just before going to bed or when no one will use any water for several hours. Take another meter reading in the morning before any water is used or after a few hours of non-use. In theory, the two readings should be the same. If they are not and you cannot account for the use by a humidifier, ice cube maker, or toilet flush, you may have a leak, and further investigation is recommended.

From our experience, 90 percent of the leaks in residential plumbing systems are found in the toilet tank. Malfunctioning water softeners and humidifiers run a distant second and third. We encourage you to check for a leak. Toilets leak at the bottom of the tank around the flapper plug or at the top of the tank at the overflow tube. To test the flapper plug, carefully remove the lid from the toilet tank and mark the water level in the tank with a pencil. Shut off the water supply to the toilet. If the water remains on the mark you made for 10 minutes, the flapper plug is not leaking. If the water level drops below the mark you made, the flapper plug is leaking and should be repaired or replaced. The water level in the toilet tank should be at least one (1) inch below the top of the overflow tube. If the water level in the toilet tank is at the top of the overflow tube, that is where a leak may be occurring, and the float that controls the water level in the tank should be adjusted so that the water level in the tank is at least one (1) inch below the top of the tube. Toilet tank leaks typically result from worn parts or misalignment of some part of the flushing mechanism. Most repairs can be done by an experienced “do-it-yourselfer”. If you are not sure you can handle the job, call a plumber.

It is very important to stop water leaks, as they may be costly. A typical toilet leak can cause the cost of your water/sewer bill to be much more expensive; for example, a one-half (½) gallon per minute leak could cost hundreds of dollars more per quarter. Our information is provided as a courtesy, with hope of action on your part that may minimize an unnecessary waste of water and expense to you.

4. Why does my water appear dirty?

Occasionally, disturbances in the water main distribution system occur. These disturbances are caused by use of fire hydrants, annual flushing, main breaks or changes in flow patterns due to activation of our groundwater source during extended dry periods. Fine milky air bubbles may form or yellowish or rusty brown color could be temporarily stirred up from the mains. Such problems are normally brief. The water should clear after running a COLD water faucet for about 15 minutes. If you notice such a disturbance, please call us at 323-6148 weekdays 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, or 323-8608 evenings and weekends. Our service personnel can assist with any problems.

5. I am the owner if a multiple-unit residential building. How is the total
of my bill figured?

Quarterly billings for Williamsport Municipal Water Authority customers are computed based on water usage and number of units served by the account water meter. The average usage per unit is determined (usage ÷ number of units) and rate schedule No. 1 is applied to determine the bill for each unit. This figure is then multiplied by the number of units to determine the total water billing for the building.

Quarterly billings for the Williamsport Sanitary Authority(WSA)
metered services are determined in the same fashion using WSA
rate schedule No. 1.

Williamsport Sanitary Authority accounts for non-metered services are billed based on a flat rate charge.

See rate tables for minimum and consumption charges.

6. What is your billing schedule?

All bills are rendered on a quarterly basis unless there is a request for a final bill. Accounts starting with “01” are issued in January, April, July and October. Accounts beginning with “02” are issued in February, May, August and November, while “03” accounts are issued in March, June, September and December. If you are not aware of your account number, you can find it by contacting the Authority's business office.

7. I am planning on building a new home. What is the hook-up cost?

Costs to connect to the WMWA system consist of two fees: A Tapping Fee plus a Connection Fee. Tapping Fees are based on equivalent dwelling units (EDUs) at a cost of $1400.00 per EDU for a ¾-inch tap. The Service Connection Fee is a fee associated with the size of the service line you request. The standard fee for a ¾-inch line is $800.00. Fees for larger lines, commercial units, apartment houses, and industrial properties can be obtained from reviewing the Schedule of Rates or contacting our office.

8. There is no way I could have used that much water. Did you make an error in the reading?

Electronic touch read meters are used to serve our customer accounts. Although these meters are directly read via a handheld unit with the information stored in the unit, occasionally a problem can occur. If you believe there may be a problem with your meter reading, please contact our office and we can schedule a second reading of your meter.

9. I have a leak but it is impossible to have used that much
water.

A leak can waste large amounts of water. For example, a 1/16-inch leak (about the size of a pencil point) can account for 74,000 gallons of usage on a quarterly billing. Remember, just because you do not see water on the floor does not mean there are no leaks. For example, water from a leaking toilet goes directly down the drain.

10. Why do I have a penalty on my bill when I paid it on time?

The due date for water and sewer bills is printed on the bill. Penalties are charged on accounts when payment is made after that date. Payments received through the mail are considered paid on the date of the United States Postal Service cancellation mark.

11. How can I identify an Authority employee?

Depending on the situation, employees from two different departments could be at your property. The Service Department employees wear blue uniforms with a WMWA emblem. Our Outside Work Crew Department employees do not have uniforms, but drive white or yellow vehicles with the WMWA emblem. All Authority employees have identification cards containing their photo and name identifying them as an employee of the WMWA. Do not hesitate to ask the individual to show you a photo identification card or call the Authority business office to verify that employees are working in your area.

12. Why don’t I have any water?

If our servicemen are sent out on a water leak, it may be necessary to turn water off. We try to avoid this if possible and to notify residents by going door to door. Other reasons for no water may be that a valve was turned off in your home or due to frozen pipes. If you are unsure why you are without water, do not hesitate to call our office and we will send a serviceman if necessary.

13. Why can’t the bill be put in my tenant’s name?

It is the property owner’s responsibility to assure that all water and sewer bills are paid. The bill can be issued either to the owner or the tenant. If the bill is sent to the tenant it will be issued to “Occupant”, unless the tenant makes a written request on our application to have the tenant's name placed on the bill.

14. Is my bill estimated? No one came to my house to read the meter.

There is a code on the bill indicating what type of reading was done. All bills are issued on an actual reading taken from the touch pad or the meter unless the pad does not work or access to the meter is denied. In those cases we attempt to contact the owner or tenant to gain admittance to read the meter and correct the problem. The code will indicate the type of reading that was obtained and used for billing purposes.

15. How can I pay my bill?

Billings issued by the WMWA can be paid either at our office or through the mail. Payment can be made in cash, check, money orders or travelers checks. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the WMWA.

16. What is backflow prevention and cross-connection control?

Cross-connections are any physical connection or arrangements between your drinking water supply and a piping system containing water or substances of unknown or questionable quality. Backflow is whenever water flows in the opposite, or reverse, of the intended direction and can be achieved by either backpressure or backsiphonage. Pressure washers, lawn irrigation systems, lawn/garden sprayer attachments, deck/siding cleaner attachments, car washing attachments, radiator flush kits, swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, water softeners, and last but not least, the ordinary garden hose are examples of devices from which water could flow back into your water system.

You can protect your water supply by installing an approved backflow prevention device on each individual supply fixture. The devices are available at your local home improvement supply store. There are thousands of documented cases of actual backflow incidents. The results of these contaminations range from inconvenience to severe illness and death. It is your responsibility to control and eliminate the threat from cross-connection hazards in your plumbing system.

Please join us in maintaining safe, clean drinking water. Please contact us for additional or specific information regarding our Backflow Prevention or Cross-Connection Control Program.

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Williamsport Municipal Water Authority and Williamsport Sanitary Authority
253 West Fourth Street Williamsport, PA 17701 - Phone# 570-323-6148 - Email: info@wmwa-wsa.org