FAQ
Q. My bill seems higher. Do I have a leak?
A. If your bills have increased significantly, it may be due to a leak. In order to check for a leak, turn off all faucets in the home or anything that may use water. Once this step is taken, walk out to your meter and check to see if you meter's leak indicator is moving. If all faucets are in the off position, nothing should be placing a demand on your meter and the leak indicator should not be moving whatsoever. If it is moving, there is a leak on your property.
Q. If my water is disconnected due to nonpayment, do I have to come into the office to have it restored?
A. We do accept payments by telephone using a credit card. There is a $3.05 fee to use this service.
Q. How do I test my toilet for a leak?
A. Place 8-10 drops of red food coloring in the tank of the toilet and wait for 2-3 hours. Do not flush during this time period. If the red dye appears in the bowl, you have a toilet leak.
Q. Is my meter read every month?
A. A meter reader will read your meter each month. If you feel the meter reading is inaccurate, you may check your meter reading. If the reading is a significantly higher/lower than what the reader meter has reported, please call our office to report this discrepancy. Remember to consider that your meter was read at least 3-5 days prior to when you received your bill.
Q. Why would my water smell like rotten eggs?
A. The naturally occurring raw water in the Baton Rouge area has a sulphur smell. Before the water leaves our well sites, it is chlorinated which removes the smell. If you have been away on vacation or your water has not been used for several days you may notice that this smell has returned to your water. This is because the chlorine dissipates in the water over time. Water heaters in the home commonly cause this to happen more rapidly because the heated water dissipates the chlorine at a faster rate than in the cold water. If you notice the smell let your cold water run for 2-3 minutes to bring fresh water in to your home. If this does not take care of the problem then call our office.
Q. Why would my water have a brown tint?
A. The water in our area has a small amount of a naturally occurring mineral called manganese. Over a period of time it settles out in the distribution system. Unexpected events that occur require us to flush our systems which causes a rapid movement of water. This can cause the sediment in the water main to stir up. After this happens, you may notice that your water has a darker than normal tint. To resolve this problem run your cold water for 2-3 minutes. If you notice this problem in your toilets or hot water heaters remember that they have tanks that need to be cleared after your incoming cold water runs clear. If this doesn’t clear the problem, please contact the office.
Q. I have been gone all month and have not used any water, why do I still owe a water bill?
A. Every active water account is charged a minimum monthly water bill. Please see our rate information.