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Water is a commodity we all need. At East Pasadena Water Company our goal is to meet or exceed all water quality standards set by both Federal and State agencies, enhance customer awareness of water issues and be available to serve our customers daily. Below is a compilation of the questions most frequently asked by our customers. What is my Service Charge? Answer: This is considered a "ready to serve" charge, and is comprised of our company's fixed costs as determined by the California Public Utilities Commission. It appears on each bill you receive and does not change from billing cycle to billing cycle. Why am I charged a "PUC" fee? Answer: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates our rates. This government agency collects 1.5% of your bill as their fee. The PUC fee is calculated as follows: (water charge + service charge x 1.5%). This money is sent quarterly to the CPUC. Who owns what? Answer: The customer owns all water pipes and fixtures from the water meter to their home. Any pipes or equipment from the meter to the water main is our responsibility including the meter box and cover. Can I pay my bill by credit card or direct debit? Answer: East Pasadena Water Company currently accepts cash or checks only. If you pay your bills on-line, your bank will mail us a check. Keep in mind it may take up to 10 days for the check to be received by us. We are working diligently on updating our computer software and hope to offer new services soon. Can I pay the Field Service Representative to keep my water on? Answer: As a safety measure, we strictly prohibit our field personnel from accepting payments of any type. Please contact the office to make payment arrangements. When is my bill due? Answer: The due date is printed on your bill in the shaded blue section at the top right hand side. See number 3 under "How To Read Your Water Bill" Where is my water shutoff valve? Answer: Your main water shutoff valve controls all the water coming into your house. Everyone in your home should know where the valve is, and how to turn it off. In case of an emergency such as a burst pipe, shutting off the water quickly could prevent costly damage from flooding. Often it is near the water meter, inside the water meter box. You may want to periodically turn the valve to make sure it isn't stuck. Water valves are generally closed by turning the handle clockwise. How much will it cost to fill my swimming pool with water? Answer: An average 8 foot deep 16' x 32' swimming pool holds approximately 21,000 gallons of water. The cost of the water to fill that pool would be $37.57 at our current rate. How do I check for leaks? Answer: If you suspect a water leak, your water meter is an ideal checking device. To test for leaks, turn off all the faucets and other water outlets and keep watch on the "tattletale" (see inside circle in photo). If the triangle continues to rotate, you may have a leak. Regardless of the rate of water loss, search for the cause. It could be as simple as a steady drip from a faucet that needs a new washer. Toilet leaks are by far the biggest cause of higher-than-normal water bills.
Why didn't someone from East Pasadena Water Company tell me that the water service was going to be interrupted? Answer: East Pasadena Water Company makes every effort to avoid inconveniencing its customers with unscheduled water shutoffs. But sometimes these circumstances are out of our control. We don't know when a water main might begin leaking. On rare occasions when we must interrupt your water service to improve or maintain the system, we notify you in person or by door notice of the hours planned for the interruption. What should I do to dispute a bill? If you question the amount of your bill, you should ask for an explanation in person or by telephone from the customer service representatives. A representative will review your situation and take necessary action. If you are not satisfied with the explanation from East Pasadena Water Company and wish to register a complaint (prior to receiving a shut-off notice) or request for investigation, you must deposit the amount of your bill with: California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) State Office Building 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2003 San Francisco, CA 94102
Make your check or remittance payable to the "California Public Utilities Commission" and attach a copy of the bill in question along with a statement explaining the basis for your dispute of the amount of the bill. The CPUC will review the basis of the billed amount and disburse the deposit in accordance with its findings. The CPUC will not accept deposits when the dispute appears to be over matters that do not directly relate to the accuracy of the bill. Such matters include the utility's service quality, rate levels, pending rate applications and fuel sources or power. How can I check my water usage? Answer: To determine your average daily use, you can read your meter on an daily or weekly basis. Simply record your meter reading at the beginning a measurement period and again at the end of that period. The difference between these two meter readings will be the water used during the period. When recording, disregard the numbers shaded in black as this is 10ths and we record in whole numbers only. Note that your water reading is in hundred cubic feet and can be readily converted to gallons by the multiplying each unit used by 748 (gallons).
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