Andrew County Water

As a new water user or builder, we welcome you to the District and hope this information will be helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our office. We will do everything we can to answer any of your questions.

This booklet is a “customer information packet” and is not the “rules and regulations” of this water district.

Public Water District # 2 of Andrew County celebrated its 35th anniversary in the year 2005. The District is made up of a Board of Directors (five directors), a Treasurer and the Service Manger/ Clerk representing the Board. Our Board meets the second Wednesday of every month unless otherwise scheduled. Our meetings are open to the public, and if anyone wishes to attend the meeting, please call our office so that you can be put on the agenda.

Our office is located at 668 Main Street in Cosby. The regular office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our office telephone number is 816-378-3395. Our fax number is 816-378-3395. After regular office hours, you may call the office and leave a message; the office staff will handle the call the next business day. For after hour emergencies the same office number will give you the “On-Call Employee’s” telephone number. Our office does observe most legal holidays.

The Public Water Supply District #2 of Andrew County is in compliance with the newest rules and regulations established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) pertaining to the Safe Water Drinking Water Act and lead content in water. We send four (4) samples per month to the DNR laboratory in Jeffersoon City for testing. These samples are taken at random locations throughout the District.

The office also prepares a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually. This report is mailed to all of our customers to notify the public of all constituents found in our drinking water and what levels of each constituent is allowable by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of the CCR report can call our office and we will gladly mail a copy to you.

Billing Procedures

Water Bills are mailed on the 1st of each month. All bills are due by the 17th of the month. A $5.00 penalty is added to your billing amount if not paid by the 17th. The payment must be received by the 17th day of the month or must be postmarked no later than the 14th of the month. All bills have the penalty amount printed on them if you cannot pay your bill by the 17th. The Water District has a night drop box located outside the door at our office at 668 Main Street in for your convenience. We cannot accept post dated checks. We charge $30.00 for all returned checks.

If bills are not paid by the last day of the month an additional $20.00 penalty will be added to the bill. If the bill is still not paid by the second Wednesday following the end of the previous month a 24 hour notice will be posted for the customer to contact the water office. If there is no payment or response by the customer the meter will be shut off and locked. The customer will have to come into the office during regular working hours and pay all delinquencies and penalties and pay the $50.00 reconnect fee. Employees are not allowed to collect money at the site for any reason.

Our office also offers payment by means of an “Automated Clearing House” (ACH) which is a process where you authorize your bank to automatically create a bank draft to pay your water bill each month. Please contact the office if you are interested in filling out the necessary paperwork to put this in place.

From time to time the District office will print messages on your monthly bill to help notify customers of changes in rates, estimations, or upcoming events. You may also review our web site for other information.

The Water District tries very hard to make sure the billing addresses are accurate. If you have a change of address please contact us immediately so that we may update or records. The Water District is not responsible for the mail service. If you have not received a bill by the end of the first week of the month, please contact the office. We will be happy to send you a print out of the usage for the month. Billing begins when deposits are paid or a meter installed.

Primacy Fees

Primacy fees are assessed to the Water District once a year by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Effective September 1, the fee is $3.00 for one meter one inch or less, $7.44 for meters more that one inch but less than two inches, $41.16 for meters more that two inches but less than four inches, and $82.44 for meters more that four inches. This fee is billed on each account in June and then paid to the State of Missouri for water testing, which they require us to submit monthly. This fee is collected by all water districts in the State of Missouri in lieu of raising State taxes. The “Primacy Fee” is listed on your water bill as “WPF” which is the abbreviation for Water Primacy Fee.

Report Suspicious Activity

We are all aware the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Because of these attacks we are asking that all of our customers remain vigilant in watching for suspicious activities or people in or around water towers, supplies, meters, pumping stations and the like. These are serious offenses and even vandalism will be reported and followed up on by the FBI. Please report any suspicious activity to the local law enforcement agency immediately. We thank you for your efforts to help protect our community.

Inquiry, Service and Complaint Procedures

If you ever have any questions or complaints, please feel free to call the District office at 816-378-3395 during the regular office hours and the office staff will be happy to help you. We hope you will call us when you have a concern. We can all benefit from open lines of communication. Our staff does not make the policies; they are required by the Board of Directors to enforce them. If you have a complaint not handled to your satisfaction, please write to the Board of Directors and it will be handled at the next Board Meeting.

If you have a question concerning your bill, please call the district office as soon as you receive your bill. We will do our best to get someone out to re-read your meter as son as possible. However, if the customer can re-read their own meter it will expedite the process and the Service Manager can make an adjustment on your bill.

Water Meter and Service Leaks

The Public Water Supply District #2 of Andrew County policy states that the customer is responsible for his/her own water lines. This consists of the lines from the meter to the house. The Water District maintains and operates the main lines of the system. The amount of water that goes through the meter will be billed to the customer for monthly water charges. In some cases the customer can check for leaks in their own system. If there is a small triangle on the face of their meter; this is called a Leak Indicator. Customers will need to make sure that every faucet/ Water supply in the house is off (washing machine, dishwasher, toilets, faucets inside and out, hydrants, etc.). Then look on the face of the meter at the leak indicator. You will have to watch it for at least ten minutes. If you see any movement of the leak indicator, or if the number changes on the register, you have a leak. Ground water collects in some meter pits, depending on the location. This is not necessarily an indication you have a leak. Because the district cannot adjust for different elevations from the water tower, and different elevations will result in differing amounts of water pressure, customers are responsible for determining the pressure and the need for a pressure regulator valve.

Maintenance

The District will make all reasonable efforts to supply continuous service; however, it is the right to interrupt service for the purpose of making repairs, connections, extensions, or other necessary work. Efforts will be made to notify water users of interruptions, when possible, but the District is not responsible for any loss due to interruption.

Damage to District Property

Water mains, water meters and meter setters are the property of the water district.

Fire Protection

The District makes no representation whatsoever of the adequacy of fire protection from its water supply system. The Water District supplies drinking water only. The customer acknowledges that no reliance shall be placed on the water system for fire protection.

New Service and Meter Deposits

All new customers must sign a user agreement. Owners are required to pay a deposit of $50.00. Renters and mobile homes are required to pay a deposit of $100.00. Transfers of an account to another owner or any renter requires payment of a non-refundable “transfer fee” of $15.00.

All tenants of rental property must provide the District with owner information. All owners acknowledge that it is the responsibility of the property owner to notify the District of any tenant change. All property owners must acknowledge their responsibility of the monthly billing when the rental is vacant.

If you decide to move or sell your property, please give the District at least one week notice. We take the final bill out of your deposit and mail you the refund.

New Meters and Main Extensions

In order for our District to serve a customer, it may be necessary to install a water meter or even a water main extension to the customer’s property. This work is done by the district’s contractor at the customer’s expense. A “hydraulic study” must also be made by the district’s engineering firm to determine if there is sufficient pressure and supply of water to supply a potential customer.

Vacant Meters

This is a meter that is physically there, in our accounting system, but no one is paying the minimum charge for the service.

Minimum Charges

This is a meter that is still active, in our accounting system but the usage is not above the minimum charge for the service. Meter is in the pit and operational unless the customer elects to have it removed.

Locked Meter

This is a meter that has been temporarily taken out of service by the Water District.

Deleted

This is a meter that has been removed from service and the line capped.