FAQ

To serve you better, we've assembled a list of our customers' most frequently asked questions. If you don't find your answer here, feel free to contact us.

How could I have used this much water?

A leaking toilet or faucet can go through a surprising amount of water.  You can check a toilet in particular by placing dye or food coloring in the toilet tank, not flushing the toilet for ten to fifteen minutes, and seeing if any coloration has appeared in the toilet bowl.

If you have further concerns, call our office and we'd be happy to work with you on the problem.

What do I do if I am experiencing low pressure?

Check your meter and the surrounding area for possible leaks. Next, call our office or the emergency line and report low pressure for your area.

Why is my water discolored?

A repair could have been completed recently allowing air to enter the line, or a disturbance may have knocked loose accumulated iron build-up.  If the discoloration persists, contact our office.  If it is outside of normal business hours, contact our emergency line.

Is discolored water safe?

If we know of any conditions that would make water unsafe to drink we would contact the community immediately.

Our water is thoroughly chlorinated and checked at points throughout the system daily.  Iron in your water is unattractive and bad for cleaning purposes - laundry and dishwashing should be delayed until the discoloration is passed, for instance - but is not harmful to anyone who can drink tap water normally.

What chemicals does our utility district add to the water?

Only chemicals that are approved by the National Safety Foundation for treatment of drinking water.

My water tastes, looks, and smells funny. Is it safe to drink?

All public water systems are required to maintain a minimum chlorine level of 0.2 mg/L (tested at the end of each line) by state law. Systems that use chloramine as a disinfectant must maintain a level of 0.5 mg/L by state law.

In the Avoca Treatment Area (everyone but our Urban Bluffs customers), we use chlorine as a disinfectant.  Our Urban Bluffs customers receive the water procured from Council Bluffs Water Works, which is treated with chloramine.

In both systems, we test our disinfectant levels at multiple points daily to ensure safety.

Why does debris come out of the faucet when running hot water?

Most likely your water heater needs to be flushed. CAUTION: Most manufacturers recommend hiring a professional to flush your water heater. If you plan on doing this yourself, read the owner's manual to keep from being hurt and or damaging the water heater.

Why do I have a previous balance when I know I sent in my payment?

We may have received it after the due date or we may not have received it at all. Call our office and we will help you solve the problem.

I had a large leak. Do I have to pay my entire water bill?

We would always be happy to set up a payment plan.

However, it is the policy of Regional Water that water which passes through a working water meter needs to be paid for.  It is a matter of fairness to all of our customers.

If you dispute the accuracy of our water meter, please contact our office.  We can pull your meter and send it for inspection by an independent third party.  It is our policy that, if an inspected meter turns out to be accurate, the party requesting the inspection must pay the cost of the inspection (usually about $30).

Otherwise, you can contact our office.  We may ask that you send a letter stating your case so that it can be presented to the Board of Directors at the next regular meeting.

Why do I have to pay a service fee to pay by credit card?

Processing credit cards costs money on a per-transaction basis. 

As Regional Water is a member-owned non-profit entity, the Board of Directors feels it is unfair and unrepresentative of the membership to cause the majority of customers who pay by cash, check, or ACH to subsidize the minority of customers who pay by credit card.  Therefore, Regional Water specifically entered into a relationship with a credit card processor who would charge Regional Water nothing and pass the entire cost on to the customers who choose to use credit cards.