How can I request a duplicate bill?

You can submit a request for a duplicate bill for an account from the Business Office by:

HOW DO I READ MY WATER METER?

1) Locate your water meter - The meter shown in Figure 1 is typical for most homes in our service area. It is brown or bronze in color with a black lid. The lid will lift up to expose the meter dial. The meter will have a straight-read dial, like an odometer in a car.

Figure 1

2) Read your water meter - Always read the dial from left to right. In the meter shown in Figure 2, the reading is 0390.41. This is the total number of hundred cubic feet of water recorded since the meter was installed. We bill in whole units of 100 cubic feet and the reading is simply 390. Your water bill is determined by subtracting last months' meter reading from the current meter reading.

Figure 2

Toilet flushing is the major water use for the typical residential customer. A summary of usage for the typical* customer is as follows:

Yes. Once the notarized affidavit is on file, the charges will be suspended for the time of the vacancy. If the time of the vacancy is not known, the charges are suspended for six (6) months. If the property is still vacant after the six (6) month period, you must contact our office (phone call, e-mail, fax, or mail) and we will reactive the affidavit for another six (6) months as long as the notary seal has not expired.

You must contact the Business Uffice at (330) 275-2554 once the home is occupied to resume curb service collection.

How do I receive credit if my property is vacant?

see Curb & Sewer Affidavits

Does your staff install all water meters?

No. Per the City of Akron Rules and Regulations, the City will install meters sized 5/8", 3/4" and 1". The customer is responsible for installing meters 1-1/2" and larger, all deduct meters, sub-meters, ad-on meters, and sewer meters of all sizes.

Who owns the water meters?

The City owns meters ranging from 5/8" to 1" used for domestic or irrigation purposes. All other meters are owned by the customer and maintained by the City of Akron at the owner's expense.

How often do you field-test the water meters?

We typically field test meters 3" and larger every two years for high consumption users; every three to four years for small water users. Meters 1-1/2" and 2" are tested every ten years. 

I hear the water come on by itself. Is there something wrong with my meter?

The meter is okay. The problem is a flapper valve leak in a toilet. When the flapper valve leaks it allows the water to slowly drain out of the tank on the back of the toilet, which causes the water to come on to refill the tank.

If you suspect a flapper valve leak, a simple way to determine whether you actually have one is to take the top off of the tank and put some food coloring in the tank. Let the toilet sit for a while, sometimes this might take a couple of hours if you have a small leak, and then look to see if the food coloring appears in the bowl without flushing it. If it does, then you definitely have a flapper valve leak. This type of leak may be intermittent but usually once a flapper valve starts leaking it only gets worse and should be replaced.

What is the worst leak you can have in a home?

For most residential homes and small businesses the worst leak you can have is an overflow tube leak in a toilet. This is the worst type of leak because it runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and normally it is a "silent" leak. Unless it is an extremely bad leak you usually cannot hear it running.

To determine if you have an overflow tube leak take the top off of your toilet tank and check the water level in the tank. If it is above the lip of the overflow tube you will see the water running down the tube. If it is close or right on the edge of the lip of the overflow tube and you are not sure, sprinkle some flour or baby powder on the water and you will be able to see if the water is actually running down the overflow tube.

If you do have an overflow tube leak you need to adjust your water level in the tank. This can be done a number of ways, depending on the type of working parts in your toilet tank. The two most common types of working parts are the fluid master and the arm and ball type.

The fluid master type has a metal clip, which slides up and down a thin metal post. You squeeze the clip together and slide it up or down to adjust the water level.

The arm and metal ball type has a small screw on the base of the point where the arm joins the main part of the assembly and you can turn the screw to adjust the water level. You can also adjust the water level on the arm and ball type by bending the arm downward, but you should be very careful. If you bend the arm, it is very easy to break the ball off of the arm and then you have to buy a new one and install it.

Are there any other types of toilet leaks?

The other main type of toilet leak is a siphon leak. This is caused by the fill tube being pushed too far down the overflow tube. When the end of the fill tube is pushed below the water level in the tank it will sometimes cause a siphoning effect.

The way to determine this is to take a flashlight and look directly down the overflow tube. If you see the water running or dripping from the end of the filler tube, then the siphoning effect is taking place.

This is very easy to correct. Pull the filler tube up so that the end of the filler tube is above water level in the tank. If the filler tube is too long and it is made out of rubber snip the excess off with a pair of scissors.

My pipes rattle, shake and I hear a loud knocking when I turn my water on. What causes this?

That is called a water hammer. Water hammer is a vibration in the pipes. Water hammer has many causes:

• A hot water tank with its temperature set too high.
• A loose washer in a valve or faucet.
• Water pipes not securely fastened.
• Faulty parts in toilets.
• Air in the lines from a repair on a water main or someone using a hydrant.

The line into my house is leaking. Whose responsibility is it?

The line into the house is called the houseline. The houseline is the homeowner's responsibility to maintain.

The valve by my meter is leaking. Whose responsibility is it?

The main valve is the responsibility of the homeowner. If it is not working or it is leaking, it is up to the homeowner to have it repaired or replaced.

My meter is leaking at the connections. Whose responsibility is it?

The water meter itself and the two swivel connections are the Water Department's responsibility. If the meter is leaking or the swivel connections are leaking where they attach to the meter, call the Water Department at (330) 375-2440 to make an appointment for us to come out and correct the problem.

How do I recognize a Water Department employee who comes to my home?

Any Water Department employee who visits your home will carry a photo identification card that they will show you at your request. For your safety, always ask to see this identification card before allowing the person into your home. Should someone posing as an employee refuse to show the identification card, do NOT let them into your home. Please call the Police at (330) 375-2181 immediately to report the impostor.

The water pressure is low in my house and slowly getting worse. What can be done to increase it?

What most people call low pressure is actually low volume. Volume is the number of gallons per minute flowing through your water lines. The water pressure (which is measured in psi or pounds per square inch) in the water main serving your residence will be the pressure in your line. The volume can vary greatly from house to house on a given street due to a number of factors.

If you have an old galvanized houseline or galvanized interior pipes, over time these corrode and will reduce the interior diameter of the pipe to as small as a pin hole. To fix the problem requires replacing the old galvanized interior pipes with copper or plastic pipes. If that does not solve the problem, than you have to replace the old houseline with a new K copper houseline.

My water pressure was okay and now suddenly it's very low or I have no water at all. What's wrong?

A sudden loss of pressure or water can be due to a number of reasons. Sometimes the water will be turned off at the main valve in the house to make an interior repair and the person making the repair forgot to open the valve after the repair.

There may have been a water main break and the main is off for repair. The crews do try to inform residents before the main is turned off but, in an emergency, they do not have the time to inform the residents first.

Sometimes houselines develop leaks or break suddenly.

Water meters are designed with a small screen inside them to catch any debris in the mains which might be stirred up from a repair or someone using a hydrant, and prevent it from getting into the interior plumbing. This screen can become completely covered plugging the meter and preventing water from flowing through.

In the event of sudden loss of water or drop in pressure first check the main valve in the house and make sure it is open all the way. If there is still no water or pressure call the Water Department Meter Shop at (330) 375-2440 and a service driver will be sent to try to find the reason for the loss of water or pressure.

I turned my valve off to make a repair and I turned it back on, but now I don't have any water. What do I do?

This can happen with what is called a gate valve. They break in the off position when they are closed. First you can try the handle on the valve opening and closing and sometimes the valve gate will reengage . If it does not reengage, please call the Water Department at (330) 375-2440 and have the water turned off at the street so the valve can be replaced.

NEW BILL PRINT FORMAT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. Have water or sewer rates increased?

A. When the format changed in 2009, neither water rates nor sewer rates had increased. The intent of the new format was to show our customers how your money is being used. Sewer rates for Akron residential customers increased 25% affective January 1, 2010 and 20% affective January 1, 2011 to begin funding improvements required to settle a federal lawsuit regarding our combined sewer overflows.  Water rates increased 9.5% affective May 1, 2010 due to a dip in revenue caused by the downturn in the economy, combined with an increase in costs such as chemicals and utilities.

Q. How were the percentages calculated?

A. We analyzed our 2007 budget expenses line item by line item. We categorized each expense as either operational, capital improvement or EPA mandated. The results of this exercise were 53% of our expenses in the Water Fund were operational, 35% were for capital improvements and 12% were EPA mandated. We also determined that 36% of our expenses in the Sewer Fund were operational, 21% of our expenses were for capital improvements and 43% were EPA mandated. We revise the percentages after each rate increase. The current percentages for our Water Fund are 53% operational, 33% for capital improvements and 14% EPA mandated. The current percentages for our Sewer Fund are 20% operational, 12% for capital improvements and 68% EPA mandated.

Q. What are EPA Mandates?

A. EPA Mandates are expenditures that are required to comply with rules or regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Examples of EPA mandates are purchases of most chemicals used for water treatment, costs to compost sludge from our wastewater treatment plant and repayment of loans to construct or improve facilities that eliminate combined sewer or sanitary sewer overflows.

Q. What are Operational Expenses?

A. Operational expenses are the day-to-day expenses of the utility such as salaries, benefits and maintenance of equipment.

Q. What are Capital Improvements?

A. Capital Improvements are expenditures to improve infrastructure that have a life expectancy of at least 5 years. Examples of capital improvements are replacement of aged or broken water lines and sewer lines.