How is my bill calculated?
Your monthly bill is made up of a base charge and a usage charge for both water and sewer:
- Water base charge is $17.66 per EDU and the usage charge is $0.007838 per gallon of water used.
- Sewer base charge is $53.22 per EDU and the usage charge is $0.014595 per gallon of water used over 2,000 gallons.
What are my options to pay my bill?
ACH/bank draft, credit card, eCheck, cash, check, money order. Learn more here.
Why is my bill estimated?
Estimated billing is a common practice of most utilities when readings cannot be confirmed. This could be due to a temporary issue at the time readings are taken for monthly invoicing or it could be a longer-term issue of either a malfunctioning meter or transmitter.
How is a bill estimation calculated?
The default estimate is the average of the 4 previous months of usage.
Why is my bill higher than normal?
While higher usage than normal can be expected when performing some seasonal activities at your home such as car washing, irrigation of yard or garden, pool fill-up, or heavier laundry and shower activity while hosting visitors, it may be due to a leak somewhere in your home. This could be more obvious, such as a leak in a pipe or near your water heater, or it could be one that is less noticeable where the leak runs through the plumbing and flows out of the home through the sewer system. While not obvious, these types of leaks are fairly easy to troubleshoot.
- If all sources of water are turned off, the meter should not increase. If all are turned off, but if the meter is still running, there is likely a leak of some sort.
- The two most common culprits of “excess water use” are toilets and water softeners, but the issue may not be obvious. Also, neither is generally a “big ticket” repair bill to address.
- Toilets – it is often easy to notice a running toilet (heavier, audible leak), but an easy way to detect whether something is leaking that you can’t see or hear is to drop 10 to 15 drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and let it sit for 15 minutes without use. If any coloring has leaked into the bowl without flushing, there is a leak. Generally, the leak would be in or around the plunger ball or flapper valve at the bottom of the tank and the component just needs to be replaced.
- Water Softeners – water softeners will backwash themselves with fresh water to regenerate on a set schedule that you may or may not be aware of depending on where your softener is located. Sometimes the backwash valve can get stuck open, forcing water to be continuously wasted into the sewer. This is something that you likely would not notice, but it is fairly easy to rule out as there a bypass valve which allows you to run water while the softener is not in service. You can activate this bypass and monitor for a day or two not running water through the softener and seeing if usage subsides. If you see the drop, it is likely that the softener requires service.
- Toilets – it is often easy to notice a running toilet (heavier, audible leak), but an easy way to detect whether something is leaking that you can’t see or hear is to drop 10 to 15 drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and let it sit for 15 minutes without use. If any coloring has leaked into the bowl without flushing, there is a leak. Generally, the leak would be in or around the plunger ball or flapper valve at the bottom of the tank and the component just needs to be replaced.
- Another common tactic would be to use water-saving showerheads and faucets if you are not already. A standard showerhead uses 2.5 gallons per minute, while the water saving showerheads usually use anywhere from 1.0 to 2.0 gpm. We don’t recommend any particular brands, but the EPA recommends any with a “Watersense” label. EPA estimated that updating showerheads and faucets can save an average family 40-50 gallons per day.
Do I need a plumber to check for leaks?
Usually, no. There are many steps you can take on your own without having to incur the cost of a plumber. For example, you can read your meter by lifting the dust cover display protector by lifting the thumb tab upwards to expose the display panel. If there is a plus sign on the display, water is passing through the meter. The numbers on the display will progress forwards.
If water is not passing through at this time, the culprit is likely something that turns on and off. Most frequently our customers report back that a toilet seal is starting to cause trouble (found by a dye test of the toilet tank) or a water softenre is acting up (found by bypassing the softener for a time to see if the high use stops).
If you are not comfortable checking your home, or do not know someone you trust to do it for you, then you may want to consider hiring a professional such as a plumber for guidance.
Am I able to get alerts for when my bill is due?
Email alerts are presently available. Register here.
Why is there a QR Code on my bill?
For your convenience, the QR Code will take you directly to the customer web portal via your smart phone’s camera feature.
Are there automated payment options to pay my bill?
Yes! ACH/bank drafts are free to use. You may also elect to use a credit card; however, processing fees apply. Learn more here.
How do I know if I am already signed up for autopay?
- Check your customer web portal dashboard.
- Check your monthly billing statement on the upper right corner as well as next to the amount due in the account information section.
- Still need help? Reach out to our office by clicking here.
Where can I find my bank routing number?
Most check routing numbers are the left series of numbers. Your financial institution should have a document or web page indicating your routing number. An additional resource can be found here.
How can I pay online using my credit/debit card?
Yes. Credit/debit cards can be used for autopay, on-demand, and Quick Pay payments. Learn more here.
My payment failed. Now what?
Unfortunately there are fees and costs involved with a failed payment, such as non-sufficient funds, that MAWSA passes back to the customer. A letter is issued and a fee is assessed.
If there is an autopay error with a credit card, the payment is not processed and an email is issued. A manual payment will need to be made as well as a correction to the card on file.
Is there assistance for customers who are temporarily unable to pay their bill?
Homeowners may qualify for assistance though PAHAF.
Customers of MAWSA may call PA 2-1-1 to be directed to utility service organizations such as the Salvation Army and Love Inc., Lancaster.
Those in need of a payment plan may reach out to one of our team members.
MAWSA is aware that customers desire budget billing. We are working with our software provider to accommodate this need.
What’s this black gunk on my faucet?
How do I start or stop service?
Submit a ticket via the customer web portal, or use the contact us page. If you are a tenant, the property owner (or property manager) must submit a form. If you are purchasing or selling the closing/title company (or presiding attorney) must fill out this form.
How do I update my contact information?
How do I change, or reset, my online account access?
On the customer web portal there is a link in the help box called “I want to change my password”.
When are MAWSA Board meetings?
MAWSA Board Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at 15 E High Street in the Borough Council Chambers on the 2nd floor.
How do I contact MAWSA?
You can reach MAWSA via email by clicking the link in the footer below, via phone at 717-665-2737 or in person at 18 E High Street, Manheim PA 17545, Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM or by appointment (entry is along the side of building).