The Village has created a Water Rules & Regulations policy to outline the new policies, rates and regulations going forward. Though some of these are not new, we would like to highlight some that may or may not have been as strictly enforced in the past:
The new rates are:
The minimum rate for Village residential customers shall be $51.25 for the first 10,000 gallons of water PlUS a Debt Service Charge of $46.82 during the billing period of January 1 to March 31, 2012 and continuing thereafter until properly modified. For each 500 gallons used over the minimum, Village residents will be charged an addition $1.33 for each 500 gallons.
The minimum rate for Village commercial customers shall be $57.75 for the first 10,000 gallons of water PLUS a Debt Service Charge of $46.82 during the billing period of January 1 to March 31, 2012 and continuing thereafter until properly modified. For each 500 gallons used over the minimum, Village residents will be charged an addition $1.33 for each 500 gallons.
The minimum rate for Town of Hamilton, Town of Lebanon, Town of Sherburne and Town of Smyrna (non-Village) customers shall be $67.75for the first 10,000 gallons of water PLUS a Debt Service Charge of $46.82 during the billing period of January 1 to March 31, 2012and continuing thereafter until properly modified. For each 500 gallons used over the minimum, town residents will be charged an addition $1.33 for each 500 gallons.
Beginning January 1, 2012, a yearly Debt Service Charge of $187.28 will be broken down to a quarterly Debt Service Fee of $46.82. The Debt Service Charge will be billed to everyone who has acess to Village Water. The Debt Service Charge will increase by 1% every year following.
A disconnection fee of $50.00 will be applied to any account when the water service to that property is disconnected due to lack of payment. A re-connection fee of $50.00 will be applied to any account when the water service to that property was discontinued due to lack of payment, and these amounts will be immediately due and water service will not be turned on until the connection fee is paid in its entirety.
DEBT SERVICE CHARGE: (1) Beginning January 1, 2012, a yearly Debt Service Charge of $187.28 will be broken down to a quarterly debt service fee of $46.82. The Debt Service Charge will be billed to everyone who has access to Village Water. The Debt Service Charge will increase by 1% every year following.
In the event that a property owner or user fails to pay his or her water charges, after they become due and payable, the Supervisor may discontinue or disconnect the supply of water for non-payment of such water charges.
Pay your water bill by credit card...
Pay by Credit Card! You can pay your water bill by credit card either at Official Payments Corporation’s website or by calling 1-800-2PayTax (1-800-272-9829). This is a secure website (you may have paid your IRS taxes here!). You will need your water account number (which you can find on your water bill).
First, click on LOCAL PAYMENTS on Official Payments Corporation’s website.
Then, enter your jurisdiction code, which is 4246.
Then, enter the payment type, in this case it would be Water Bill.
Then, enter the full amount.
On the next screen you will see the amount you wish to pay AND the convenience fee charged by Official Payments Corporation’s. The village DOES NOT receive any portion of this convenience fee.
On the next screen you will enter all your information, including the Water Account Number, which is on your water bill (postcard).
Make sure when you are all done you write down or, even better, print off your confirmation screen page information.
Read our 2016 annual report here (this is a large 9.4MB file and may take a while to download, depending on your type of Internet access).
Will watering my lawn / garden / washing my car increase my water bill?
Yes. All water that comes from your home has been through your meter. Of course the amount depends on two main variables: how long you water and how much you use. Without getting technical, a one-inch diameter hose is going to use a lot more water than a sucker hose with just two or three pin holes. If you must water your lawn, it is suggested for your lowest cost to water at night (after the sun goes down) on a timer for a short time.
Can I get the fire department to fill my pool or use the hydrant?
No. If you witness this, please contact the Village Office.
Will a running toilet cause my water bill to be high?
Yes. Any leak in your home is water usage. Even what seems like a small leak can literally be tens of gallons a day. Depending on the severity of the leak, it is possible for a water bill to double or even triple. If you suspect a leak, it is highly advisable that you have it checked on.
Can I pay my bill online?
YES! See the "Pay Your Water Bill by Credit Card" above for information about paying your bill online or over the phone with a credit or debit card.
What is the late fee?
All water customers will always have thirty (30) days to pay their bill. The date due will appear on your bill. The first month that it is late results in a 10% late fee. The interest after that is an additional 1% every 30 days. So the first month it is late is the total due plus 10%. The second month it is late is the first late month's total due plus 1%. The third month is the second late month's total due plus 1% and so on.
Can I pay in installments?
Yes. Installment payments will be accepted at the Village Office, however, the full amount due MUST be paid in full by the due date or lates fees will be added to the balance. If full payment is not received then the water account is susceptible to shut off.
Can I have my water turned off while I am away?
Yes and no. If you will be away for a short period of time, like two weeks for a vacation, there is no benefit to have your water shut off. If you will be away for several months (for instance you winter in the south), you can call DPW at 691-2121 to have your water shut-off. If you request this, the village is not liable for any damage caused by your water system not being properly prepared for the shut-off. Note, the minimum billing will be charged if you have water on at your residence for three or more weeks during a cycle.
In whose name is the water bill placed?
Water bills can be directed to anyone the homeowner wishes (i.e. tenants) if they fill out and return to the Village Office an Authorization for Tenants form. However, the homeowner is ultimately responsible for the bill. If it is not paid on time by the tenant, a late fee will be assessed. Unpaid bills by March can be relevied into the upcoming tax bill.
“I never received a bill.”
Just like the Real Property Tax Law 9-922(3) of NYS: “The failure to mail any such statement, or the failure of the addressee to receive the same, shall not in any way affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law with respect thereto,” even if you do not receive a tax or water bill, it is still your responsibility to pay it. You do NOT need to have your original bill to pay the amount due.
Is there fluoride in the village water?
No. At this time we do not treat our water with fluoride.
My water is brown.
The village flushes fire hydrants periodically for system maintenance. When we conduct this exercise, it usually stirs up sediment in the water lines and causes brown or rusty water to come out of your tap. The brown, rusty water will not harm you and it should go away in a short time. If this occurs, we recommend that you leave your tap running for a short period of time until the water runs clear (a couple of minutes). It is best to avoid washing white clothes while you have brown water. Because we use the standard practice of chlorine for disinfection, our cast iron pipes react with the chlorine to create iron corrosion and ultimately what you see as rust.
