RATES
Water Rates:
$52.00 BI-MONTHLY first 75,000 gallons
$ 2.00 per thousand for 75,001 – 100,000 gallons
$ 4.00 per thousand for 100,001 – 125,000 gallons
$ 6.00 per thousand for all usage over 125,000 gal.
Additional Charges:
$10.00 LATE FEE per month
$35.00 NSF Check Charge
$25.00 24-Hour Notice Posting Fee
$25.00 Water Shut-Off Fee
$150.00 Account Transfer
$200.00 Reconnect Fee (per occurrence*)
Water service bills are mailed on the first of every OTHER month starting in January. You will receive a statement around the 1st of the month showing the balance due. Advance payments are accepted, however, no discounts are applied. ALL BILLS ARE DUE BY THE END OF THE MONTH IN WHICH THEY ARE BILLED. A LATE FEE OF $10.00 PER MONTH WILL BE CHARGED ON ANY ACCOUNT NOT PAID IN FULL BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
Payment Options
Mail Checks to:
Emerald Estates Water Association
P.O. Box 1082
Hayden, ID 83835-1082
PayPal Payments:
Call or email EEWA for PayPal Invoice
A convenience fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 for the total invoice will be billed for the PayPal services.
If you have any questions about your billing, sold your home, or are moving, contact Emerald Estates Water Association with the details so that the billing can be changed. You are responsible for payment of each month’s water bill UNTIL the actual change of ownership takes place. If you are renting out your home, we provide courtesy billing to the renter. HOWEVER, the homeowner is ultimately responsible for the water bill or any unpaid water bills incurred by renters.
Water Shut-Off: If an account is delinquent $100.00 or more, the homeowner will receive notification via their water bill requesting payment in full by a specific date. If the homeowner fails to pay the required amount by that date, the homeowner’s water services will be terminated the following day. A 24-hour notice will be posted ($25.00 fee). If the water is shut off ($25.00 fee), the homeowner will have to pay IN FULL the delinquent amount owing plus fees of up to $250.00 ($200.00 reconnect fee). All monies owing must be paid in full, prior to the water services being reinstated.
Meters are read bi-monthly beginning each March, weather permitting. You are asked to keep the opening accessible and clear of grass, shrubs, or any other obstruction. Please report any damage to the meter box or meter so we can make arrangements to have it repaired.
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A copy of the By-Laws (dated 5-18-95) should have been given to you with your closing paperwork; if you did not receive a copy or need another copy, please contact the Secretary-Treasurer, or click the link above.
Water Usage and Overage Charges
A flat fee of $26.00 / month is billed every two months for water usage up to 37,500 gallons per month. This amount WILL NOT change UNLESS you use more than 75,000 gallons within a two-month period billing cycle. The overage rates are listed on the front page for easy reference.
The reason for an overage charge is to cover the cost of maintenance, extra wear and tear on the water system, pumps, valves, etc. The overage schedule also helps detect unapparent leaks in the plumbing.
Looking at the past history, overage charges are a summer occurrence due to watering lawns, filling pools or backyard ponds etc. Although winter readings are not taken, when the readings resume in the spring, there has not been a history of continued winter excessive water usage, thus pointing to watering lawns as the overage reason. You are charged for the water that flows thru the meter, thus, if you have a leak after the water meter, a higher than normal flowage will be recorded. You are responsible for any leaks after the meter and all water usage is expected to be paid.
If you suspect a meter reading to be incorrect, you can request a reread. If an error is found, you will be credited on the next bill. It is suggested you keep the account current to avoid billing confusion. If an excessive usage is still noted and the meter readings are found to be accurate, we suggest you have a plumber inspect your system from the meter thru the home including all water appliances and sprinkler systems if installed.
If a meter is in error, and can be verified, we will reimburse you for the specific charges paid to your plumber incurred for determining the meter is faulty. To date, we have had no meters known to be inaccurate, the meters either record accurately or stop recording all together. The association CANNOT afford to hire plumbers to check out systems every time a bill is high. That cost would be passed on to all users and we would see higher maintenance costs and higher monthly charges to cover those charges.
Water Leaks - Who is Responsible
A. The homeowner is responsible for maintaining the home service water line from its below-ground connection at the home service meter to the home and all water facilities within the home and any cross flow connections (sprinkler system).
B. The Water Association is responsible for maintaining all water systems from the wells to the home service water line, including the meter located at each home and the water feed pipes visible in the meter box.
Please Perform These Steps Before Calling A Board Member
There are a few steps you can perform on your own to verify water leaks or excessive usage before calling a board member to discuss your overage charges:
1. Turn off all water inside the house and outside the house.
2. Check at the street water meter box for water meter needle movement. If there is movement, you have a leak somewhere downstream of the meter.
3. If there is no movement, look to your watering habits. A 5/8" garden hose with an oscillating sprinkler head flows approximately 200 gallons per hour. That is alot of water over a 2 month billing period when it is hot and watering is almost every day. Note how long you water in a day.
4. If you have a sprinkler system, a sprinkler system contractor can check for leaks and figure out the flowage of the systems heads. This will give you a good estimate of your sprinkler systems flowage that you can use to determine total usage for a billing cycle.
Once again, you are responsible for the water usage thru the meter. A HIGH WATER BILL DOES NOT mean that the meter is inaccurate. It means that your system used that much water and it is not the Board’s responsibility to determine where the water was used.