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Frequently Asked Questions
Residential Billing and Collections - Page 1
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Page 1, Questions 1-12: Fee Structure - Relation to Water Bill - Fee Determination
Page 2, Questions 13-19: Initiating Service - Billing Process
Page 3, Questions 20-29: Renting and Selling - Alternate Savings - Long Range Classifications
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Fee Structure
1. Are there any other wastewater-related charges on my property tax bill in the future?
Relation to Water Bill
2. What is the difference between my water bill and wastewater bill?
3. When will I receive my first bill? Will I get my Water bill and Wastewater bill at the same time?
4. Why aren’t the water bill and wastewater bill combined?
Fee Determination
5. How are my sewer charges calculated?
6. What is the customer service charge for?
7. What is the average winter water use (AWWU)?
8. What months will JCW use to calculate my winter water usage?
9. What if I have a swimming pool, will I have to pay for filling my pool?
10. What if I just moved into a new house, how would my “average winter water use” be determined?
11. What if I leave for the winter, do I have to pay a wastewater bill?
12. What should I do if I had a water leak during the winter months and had it repaired but my winter water usage on my wastewater bill doesn’t reflect the adjustment I received from the Public Water Utility?
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Fee Structure
1. Are there any other wastewater-related charges on my property tax bill in the future?
• Yes. At the current time there is a Johnson County wastewater charge for capital (CAP) wastewater expenditures will remain on your tax bill. These fee-generated funds will be used to cover the cost of capital expenditures that include structures, improvements, equipment and other major assets including land. Capital expenditures generally are not directly related to day-to-day operations.
Relation to Water Bill
2. What is the difference between my water bill and wastewater bill?
• Charges from JCW are for the safe and efficient transport of wastewater from your home and the treatment of that water before returning it to area creeks, lakes and rivers. Public Water Utilities bill you for the water that comes into your home for drinking, cooking, bathing and watering your lawn.
3. Will I get my Water bill and Wastewater bill at the same time?
• In most instances, JCW’s billing statements will follow the Public Water Utilities statements by three weeks.
4. Why aren’t the water bill and wastewater bill combined?
• Because JCW is a separate utility that is not associated with any of the independently owned and operated water companies providing water service within our service district, it is necessary for us to send a separate billing statement.
• JCW and the Public Water Utilities are separate entities and are governed by different governmental bodies. If you have questions about your wastewater bill, call (913) 715-8590. If you have questions about your water bill, contact your water company.
Fee Determination
5. How are my sewer charges calculated?
• Residential charges are determined by multiplying the annual volume of average winter water usage by the rate and adding the customer service charge [(Volume x Rate) + customer service charge = Amount]. This amount will be divided by 12 calendar months, which will give you your monthly charge. Since residential customers will be billed bimonthly your bill will have two months worth of wastewater charges.
6. What is the customer service charge for?
• The customer service charge recovers all administrative costs associated with an ongoing billing and collections system. All user classes are charged this fee.
7. What is the average winter water use (AWWU)?
• This is your average water usage during winter months based on meter readings. This is the best measure of the volume of drinkable water used at the property during the winter months that reasonably estimates the volume of wastewater discharged to the wastewater treatment facilities of JCW.
• By using winter water usage, Johnson County Wastewater can accurately estimate the volume of wastewater discharged into the treatment facilities by each property. Winter water usage is used to avoid charging for heavier summer uses that do not impact the wastewater treatment system like watering your lawn and garden, washing your car or filling your swimming pool.
8. What months will JCW use to calculate my winter water usage?
• The customer's average winter water use will be based on 4 of the 6 months between November and April, depending on the customer's billing cycle.
9. What if I have a swimming pool, will I have to pay for filling my pool?
• Winter water usage is used in the wastewater bill calculation to avoid charging for usual heavier summer uses such as watering your lawn and garden, washing your car or filling your swimming pool. If you don’t fill your swimming pool during the winter months, it won’t affect your water usage information for your wastewater bill. All of these water uses do not impact the wastewater treatment system.
10. What if I just moved into a new house, how would my “average winter water use” be determined?
• New customers moving from outside JCW’s service area will be assigned a default value user charge that is equal to the average winter water use for all residential customers. If new customers provide JCW with their previous account information JCW will calculate an appropriate average winter water use using the information provided.
• JCW customers who move within the sanitary sewer district may request to transfer the average winter water use from their previous address.
11. What if I leave for the winter, do I have to pay a wastewater bill?
• Yes. If you are out of town during the winter months you may be eligible for an adjustment. Contact JCW and your account will be reviewed and any appropriate adjustments will be made. The minimum user charge for months you are gone is an amount that is at least equal to the customer service charge.
• For months that you actually reside in your home you will be charged the default value user charge. The default is based on the average residential winter water use for all residential customers. The default user charge is used when the average winter water use appears to be an inaccurate measure of average use, or a customer does not have actual winter water use.
12. What should I do if I had a water leak during the winter months and had it repaired but my winter water usage on my wastewater bill doesn’t reflect the adjustment I received from the Public Water Utility?
• Call the JCW customer service center. Your account will be reviewed to determine if an adjustment is appropriate.
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Still have questions? Consider sending an e-mail to our Customer Service Center at solutions@jcw-custserv.org.
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