Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

What are the Office Hours & 24-Hour Service Options? 

• Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:20 p.m. except for posted holidays. 
  The Drive-Thru window remains open until 4:30p.m.
  Click here for directions to our office.
  GMWSS has a service worker on call at all times.  If you experience a problem outside of our normal business hours, or on the weekend, please call 863-7816.  You will hear a brief message offering further instructions. 
• If you are calling to report a serious emergency, please call the Georgetown Police Department at 863-7820 or dial 911.
• To report a spill, please call 911 or 1-800-928-2380.  

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How do I establish new service?

• To begin new service, you must come to our administration building located at 125 W. Clinton Street and fill out a request for service. You may also click here to submit the application online.
• Homeowners are not required to pay a deposit to establish new service.  However, if a homeowner becomes delinquent and is scheduled for disconnection 2 times, he or she will be required, at the time of the second disconnection, to pay a security deposit of $75.00.
• If you are renting your home you are required to pay a $75.00 security deposit before we can begin service in your name.  This deposit can be waived if you have a co-signer.  Please ask one of our representatives if you desire further information about who is eligible to co-sign.  Your deposit and any accrued interest will be applied against your final water bill.  Refunds will be sent out approximately two weeks after the final bill.
• Business owners will have the same guidelines, with the exception of the amount of the deposit.  That will be based on the amount of water usage expected by the type of business.
• Some customers will only have sewer and garbage through GMWSS.  These customers will establish water service with Kentucky American Water Company (KAWC) and will also have to come into our office to begin sewer and garbage service.  They will be billed monthly based on the usage sent by KAWC.  Any questions about those readings need to be directed to KAWC at 859-268-6300.

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When is my bill due?

• Depending on your address, your bill will be due either the 5th, 10th, or 15th of each month.
• We bill a month behind so you will not receive your first water bill until you have been at your residence for at least one full month.
• Your water bill will be mailed to you approximately 2 weeks before the due date. Failure to pay by the due date will result in a 5% penalty being added to your bill.
• Disconnection notices are mailed out 4 to 5 business days after the due date. Failure to receive this notice does not relinquish responsibility to pay the amount due.
• Bills that are not paid in full by 4:30 p.m. on the date indicated, on both the bill and the disconnection notice, will be scheduled for disconnection the following morning. If payment is placed in our Night Depositor after 4:30 p.m., you are not relinquished from the $30.00 reconnection fee. You must pay the bill in full plus a $30.00 reconnection fee in order to restore service. You must speak with a Customer Service Representative during regular business hours before service can be restored. Disconnection due to non-payment is not considered an emergency.
• Customers that pay only sewer and garbage with GMWSS will be required to pay a $60.00 reconnection fee and the bill in full to restore service. Your service will be restored by a KAWC service worker and may take as long as 24 hours to be restored.
  
  Water meters are read and bills are mailed to customers each month based on one of the following billing cycles. 

Billing Cycle	Read Date	Billing Date	Due Date	Penalty Date
1 & 5	1st - 10th	20th / 21st	5th	6th
2	13th / 14th	25th / 26th	10th	11th
3, 4, & 6	15th - 20th	30th / 31st	15th	16th
Note: Disconnect notices are mailed 4 to 5 business days after due date. Service is disconnected 4 to 5 days after mailing of disconnect notice.
The first digit of your account number is the billing cycle.

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What are my payment choices?

• You may pay online using a credit/debit card or electronic check by clicking here.
  We accept Visa or MasterCard.
• You may mail your payment to P.O. Box 640 Georgetown KY 40324
• You may pay at the customer service desk at our administration building.
• You may pay at the drive-thru window at our administration building.
• You may drop your payment in our night depository located just beyond the drive-thru window. 
  Any payment made during office hours not requiring a receipt should be dropped in our night depository.
  - - Only Checks or Money Orders (no cash) should be placed in the night depository.
• If you bank at United Bank or Whitaker Bank, you may drop off your payment there and we will collect that for you.
• You may sign up for Automatic Payment Service (ACH)  that will be deducted from your bank account.
  - - See our customer service representatives for more information.
  - - You must fill out the ACH form and bring a voided check to our office.
  - - Termination of or changes to the Automatic Payments must also be done at our office.

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What about garbage collection?

• Questions / comments regarding garbage collection should be directed to City Maintenance at 863-9855.
• Georgetown city residents are required, by a city ordinance, to receive garbage collection from the
  City of Georgetown Public Works. The Residential Fee is $15.00 monthly and is collected by GMWSS and turned over to the City of Georgetown. GMWSS simply collects these fees as a service to Public Works.
• Click here for more Public Works information. 
• For full collection fees and explanations please click here.

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What are the scheduled rates?

Water	$8.54 - First 2,000 gallons (minimum bill-or any portion thereof) $4.80 - Per 1,000 gallons (anything over minimum)
Sewer	$7.82 – First 2,000 gallons (minimum bill-or any portion thereof) $5.58 – Per 1,000 gallons (anything over minimum)
Utility Tax	3 % of water billed (in dollars)
Garbage	$15.00 per month (Residential Rate) $8.00 per month (Residential Rate) - Age 65 & over
Sales Tax	6 % of water and sewer billed (in dollars)
Kentucky River Authority	$0.045 per 1,000 gallons of water

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What are the connection fees?

Connection Fees - Water 

• ¾ x 5/8”  meter……………………….$1,500
• 1” meter……………………………….$2,100
• 2” meter……………………………….$4,350
• 3” meter……………………………….$16,500
• 4” meter……………………………….$21,000
• 6” meter……………………………….At Cost
• 8” meter……………………………….At Cost

Connection Fees – Sewer 

• Sewer connection fees shall be $1500 per residential unit. Commercial and Industrial sewer connection fees shall be based on the number of equivalent residential units (ERU's) based upon 4,500 gallons per month average usage per residential unit. The sewer connection fee per ERU shall be $1,500.

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What happens if I have a leak?

• You, the customer, are responsible for repairing all leaks, service line breaks, or other problems beyond the service-connection fitting.  If you have a question about responsibility, please call our office.
• GMWSS will adjust your bill if you have a water line break, provided it has been fixed and you can supply proof
  (i.e. a plumber’s statement) of the repair.  Click here for our leak adjustment policy.
• You will be allowed one (1) leak adjustment per year and two (2) in a five year period.
• GMWSS will not adjust high bills due to commode leaks.
• GMWSS will adjust the sewer portion of your bill to your average sewer usage if you are watering new construction landscaping or filling a swimming pool.  Only one month’s usage will be adjusted.

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How can I locate water lines?

• You may call 811 or the BUD (Before U Dig) Center at 1-800-752-6007 for information locating your utility lines.

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How much will I pay each month?

 

Number of People	Water Only	Water & Sewer	Sewer Only
1	$8.54	$16.36	$7.82
2	$16.22	$32.97	$16.75
3	$24.86	$51.56	$26.79
4	$33.50	$70.34	$36.84
5	$42.14	$89.02	$46.88

This is an estimate based on national averages of water consumption.  National averages state that the average person will use 60 gallons of water per day.  Your bill is determined by the amount of consumption showing on the meter at the time of reading.  Customers inside the city limits will also pay $15.00 per month for garbage collection.

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Is my water meter actually read every month?

Your meter is read monthly.  The only exceptions to this are extreme weather conditions that prohibit the service workers from accessing your meter or something blocking access to your meter tub (i.e. an automobile parked over your meter tub.).

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How can I lower my water bill?

• Take showers instead of baths.
• Turn off water while brushing your teeth.
• Fill the sink with water when shaving rather than letting the water run.
• Avoid watering your lawn during the heat of the day to prevent loss due to evaporation.
• Save dishwater and use it to water your flowers.
• Repair dripping faucets and running toilets immediately.
• Know the location of your shut off valve in case a water line leak occurs.
• Replace old water-wasting toilets with new 1.6 gallon flush toilets.

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Can I pay my bill online?

You may pay online using a credit/debt card or electronic check by clicking here.  We accept Visa or MasterCard.
You will need to register for an account using your GMWSS account number, current amount due (this is the amount you are billed before any penalty is applied), and a password of your choice.

Please be sure you enter the correct billing address for your credit/debit card.

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What are Online Bill Pay and Electronic Billing (ebills)?

• Please click here for additional information.

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I think I was charged multiple times when I paid my bill online!

• If an online payment is declined, it may temporarily show a charge to your bank account.
• Certain banks will debit the requested amount from the account before the transaction is completed. Basically they put a hold on the funds while the process is validated.
• GMWSS only receives payment for the validated transaction; any others are the banks’ responsibility to return to the customer’s account as they were prematurely held. It is the specific bank’s policy which determines how and when the electronic transactions are processed; GMWSS has no control over that. Usually within a business day they replace the funds. For this reason, it is important that Billing information is entered correctly.
• Please click here for additional information.

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How much water will I use washing clothes, taking a shower, etc.?

• Shower………………………….25-50 Gallons

• Shaving………………………….3-5 Gallons with the tap running

• Dishwasher…………………….15 Gallons

• Clothes Washer……………….30-60 Gallons

• Hand Washing………………….2 Gallons with the tap running

• Bath Tub…………………………36 Gallons

• Toilet Flush……………………..5-7 Gallons

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Can a small leak (such as a toilet leak) increase my bill very much?

A typical toilet can leak around 2 gallons per minute.  If this is not repaired, a toilet can leak up to 3,000 gallons of water a day. A pipe with a small leak can leak from 24,000 gallons to 394,000 gallons of water in one month’s time.

Continuous water leak over one month's time at 60 PSI.
Diameter of Stream	Gallons Used
	24,000
	98,000
	222,000
	394,000

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How can I prevent frozen pipes?

Take these steps before cold weather sets in:

• Wrap exposed pipes with insulating material.
• Block air passages into crawl spaces and basements.
• Remove hoses from outside faucets and be sure to fix any leaky outside faucets.
• Know where your shut-off water valve is located. This valve should be used in the event of a burst pipe or significant leak.

Tips during freezing weather:

• Make sure that heat reaches your pipes. If your pipes are in a cabinet under the bathroom or kitchen sink, leave the cabinet doors open so heat can get in.
• Keep a trickle of water running during periods of low usage and particularly on sub-zero nights.
• The trickle should be a steady stream the size of the lead in a pencil.

If you have a frozen pipe:

• Simply wait for the pipe to thaw, if at all possible.
• Never use an open flame to thaw a pipe, since you could start a fire.
• Call a plumber and get professional help, if all else fails.

Click here to read an article regarding freezing pipes.

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