Rates & Policies

Rates

2023 – Monthly water rates based on meter size & tier and various charges

METER SIZET-1   T-2  T-3COMM
.7524.5732.71 44.19
1.028.2836.3154.4451.29
1.536.2645.09 67.16
2.049.49  93.66
2.0+68.18  137.85

Base water usage rate is figured at 700 cubic feet per month, per unit. Any usage over 700 cubic feet is charged at the overage rate listed below.

OVERAGE 
RATE
        1 .00      1.10       1.25      1.02
  • (Per 100 cubic feet used over the allowed amount of 700 cubic feet per month)
  • Any residential structures that are attached to a commercial account will be charged at the commercial rate.
  • All multi -unit accounts will be charged to the property owner or management company.

Service Charges

All payments on accounts are due in the district office no later than the 15th of each and every month regardless if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday.  After the 15th of the month, there is a 10%  late charge each month the account is past due.

Disconnection Policy

When an account becomes 30 days past due, a 48-hour disconnection notice will be hand delivered to the residence or business. There is a shutoff notice charge of $15.00 for any disconnection notice handed out.  Once 30 days has passed, no partial payments will be accepted on the delinquent account.  District personnel will not accept payments at the service address when they are posting the notices.

Turn on Charges

$50.00 is charged for reinstatement of water service (for water that has been disconnected for non-payment or at the owner’s request).  If the meter has been removed, there is an additional $30.00 charge.  If the request for reinstatement of water service is before 8:00 a.m. Or after 2:00 p.m, (after-hour call out), there will be a charge of $150.00. Tampering fee of $150.00 will be charged to any customer for turning the water on/off at the meter.

Additional Charges

Washington state utility tax will be applied to all accounts.  Once a year, there is $3.90 well-head protection charge applied to all active accounts.  If the account has been inactive for one year or more, there will be no well-head charge for that account.  A prorated yearly fire demand charge will be charged to all dishman area commercial accounts.

There will be a $25.00 per hour for staffing charge + .10 per office copy charge for any requested office research.

Connections

New connection charges are as follows (plus parts and labor):

1.0”       $   4,290.00                   2.0”       $10,010.00

1.5”       $   7,150.00                   3.0”       $14,300.00

Duplexes are required to have two (2) separate connections.

Labor Rates

$125.00 per hour per person @ ½ an hour minimum.  Backhoe rate is $200.00 for the first hour and $125.00.00 every hour thereafter.

Final Billings

Are required to have a meter reading at a fee of $25.00 which is charged to the seller.

There will be no unauthorized use of any fire hydrants.  There is a $600.00 fine, and/or criminal charges pressed, for any unauthorized use of a fire hydrant.  A signed permit is necessary for the use of the standpipe located at the district’s office.

Construction Permit

Water Permit is $100.00 per month, plus $1.00 per 100 cubic feet of water pumped from the hydrant located at the district office.

Rental Property

The property owners will be held responsible for any past-due charges left by their tenants, provided that the district has received written confirmation that the property owner would like to be notified of any delinquency.  This is per rcw 57.08.081 effective january 1, 1999.

Returned Checks

There will be a $30.00 fee an all returned checks.   After three (3) returned checks, only cash, money order, or cashier’s check will be an acceptable form of payment.

Access to Meters

In those instances where ready access to a meter service is impaired or denied for any reason or where the meter service is located more than 20 feet from a gate; the district will require the service be relocated at the owner’s expense.  Charges for this service may be paid in full or according to a payment schedule set up with the district office. Meter box and lid maintenance is the property owner’s responsibility.  To avoid a frozen meter and possible additional charges due to a frozen meter, it is the responsibility of the property owner/tenant to insulate the water meter every fall. If you are unable to insulate your meter box, please contact the district office for assistance.

Rereads & Estimates

If a meter reader is required to make a return call due to impaired access, there will be an additional charge of $50.00.  If a reading must be estimated due to denied access, there will be an additional charge of $50.00.  If a meter is in need of a clean out in order to obtain a reading, there will be an additional $50.00 charge.

Effective April 1, 2016 the connection/tap fee for all fire hydrants will be $1,000.00 each.  Fire hydrants connected prior to that date will not be assessed a connection/ tap fee.

No tap larger than 1” will be permitted, except by written consent of the district manager or district engineer.  No new .75” taps are allowed in the district.

Customers with fire sprinkler systems are responsible for the waterline from the point of access to the water service main.  There will be a $7,200.00 tapping fee plus parts and labor for a fire sprinkler system.

All Sprinkler Systems, pools, hot tubs, etc. Must have a backflow device in working order and maintained by property owner. All backflow devices are required to be tested annually by a state certified tester.  Notices will be sent at testing time.

Pursuant to the Department of Health and Department of Drinking Water requirements, East Spokane Water District No.1 will be purchasing water annually from another water source each summer. Please be advised that the water source East Spokane Water District No 1 purchases water from may be chlorinated.

Shut Off Policy

  1. Shut Off notices are issued the day after billing unless billing falls on a Friday. Then, notices are issued on the next business day.
  2. Customers are given 2 business days (48 hours) notice to pay the minimum balance. No extensions past the 2 business days (48 hours) will be given.
  3. Once the water service is turned off, minimum amount plus turn-on charge must be paid before customer can be turned back on.
  4. Partial payments and holding checks are not accepted.
  5. The option to pay by debit or credit via internet or phone are are available to the customer. Go to: http://pay.softtelpay.com or call 1-800-483-5729. Use ID Code: 9921211. You will also need your account number which is located on the 48 hour shut-off notice.
  6. Office only takes cash, checks and/or money orders which are subject to District’s check policy.
  7. Office will hand out a list of charity foundations with phone numbers to customer as per request.
  8. There are two payment drop boxes available for customer use. One is located on the side street (Coleman Road) and other is located by the main office door.

Backflows aka Cross Connection Devices

Irrigation systems save time and make watering lawns and gardens easier. However, water that may be contaminated by weed killers and/or fertilizers can be back-siphoned (backflow) into your drinking water. Because of these risks, the Uniform Plumbing Code, State Regulations, etc. require approved backflow protection. Irrigation systems not protected by approved backflow prevention assemblies could endanger the health of a household, neighborhood or community.

All irrigation systems and commercial businesses, new or existing, must be equipped with an approved backflow prevention assembly. Only properly installed, State approved backflow prevention assemblies comply with the plumbing code and provide health protection for your family and neighbors. Backflow devices are mechanical assemblies that help stop cross contamination of the clean water system. All backflow installation practices, devices and testing procedures will be in accordance with the District’s backflow prevention policy and State Drinking Water Regulations.

SO, WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT “BACKFLOW AND CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL?”

As defined in Washington Administrative Code 246-290-490, a backflow is “the flow of water or other liquids, gases or solids from any source back into the customer’s plumbing system or the water purveyor’s (East Spokane Water District #1) water distribution system.” We rely on approved backflow prevention assemblies to protect the public water system. Approved assemblies are manufactured with isolation valves and test cocks to permit field-testing to demonstrate that the assemblies are properly functioning to prevent backflow.

It is our commitment to keep your water safe. It is our responsibility to prevent backflow conditions as a means of keeping your water safe. We do this by enforcing our backflow/cross-connection program. We periodically will conduct random backflow tests throughout the district.

Our backflow/cross-connection program is a plan of action for us to eliminate the potential of dangerous backflow occurrences. We accomplish this by performing plan reviews on proposed building projects, sight inspections on all newly installed backflow assemblies, requiring annual testing of all assemblies and by educating you, the one who would be affected most, about the dangers of cross-connections and backflows.

A main-break can cause a drop in system pressure and back-siphon water into the public water system.  High water demand such as firefighting situations can cause system pressure to drop and water to be back-siphoned into the public water.

If there is a direct cross-connection between the public water system and a contaminated source and adequate backflow protection is not in place, in any of the above situations, serious health issues could result.

Leak Detection Procedures

If you think you may have a water leak, please follow these steps.

  • First shut off all the water in your house – make sure the hot water heater is not filling up.
  • Go out to your meter and look to see if dials are moving – even very slowly.
  • If moving – there is a leak.
  • Now, go back into the house and shut off the main valve to the house which is usually near the hot water heater.
  • Go back and look at the meter, if it is still moving the leak is somewhere between the house and the meter. If it is not moving, the leak is in the house.Please call us at 509-926-6072 if you have confirmed that there is a leak before you contact a leak detection company. One of the leak detection companies that can pinpoint the leak is American Leak Detection. (509) 536-5166