Questions About
Your Account
Have questions about managing your account? This section provides answers on setting up your account in the customer web portal, changing or resetting online access, and updating your contact information.
How can I set up the Customer Web Portal?
Customer Web Portal (CWP) Account View & Access
Access to the CWP allows you to view account history, pending and posted account transactions, and more. There are two ways accounts can be set to access on our CWP.
- Default Account Setting
- Owner is the only party with an account number. All users with access to that account number can see the balances for all locations under that account number.
- Personal, secure wallets for each login crated, regardless of shared account number.
- Autopay will pay for all of the location balances on the account number.
- Bills will always be sent to the owner. Copies may go to the property manager and tenant as chosen by the owner.
- Alternate Account Setting
- Tenant is provided an account number. Owner has a separate account number.
- Personal, secure wallets for each login created under the account number.
- Owner will continue to receive bills. Property owners can also receive copies.
- Autopay can be used by tenant. Autopay will only pay for that 1 location.
How do I change, or reset, my online account access?
On the customer web portal there is a link in the help box called “Forgot your password? Click here to reset it.”
Important Links
For additional resources and further information, please refer to the other helpful links provided below.
Billing & Service
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.
How and why is a bill estimation calculated?
The default estimate is the average of the 4 previous months of usage.
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.
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. Turn off one household item at a time until the meter stops advancing.
- 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.
- 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.
What is the Billing Cycle? And how do I read my bill?
Readings are taken on the 20th of each month. Bills are issued on the 1st and due upon receipt. Customer wishing to utilize autopay should sign up (one time only) by Noon on the 16th.
For your convenience, the QR Code on your bill will take you directly to the customer web portal via your smart phone’s camera feature.
Am I able to get alerts for when my bill is due?
Email alerts are presently available.
What are my options to pay my bill?
ACH/bank draft, credit card, eCheck, cash, check, money order.
Want an automated option? ACH/bank drafts are free to use. You may also elect to use a credit card; however, processing fees apply.
To check if you are already signed up for automated payments, please follow the directions below:
- 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.
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.
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.
How do I troubleshoot my sewer service?
Slow drainage or a backup? Call us first! (717)665-2737.
Let us rule out that the issue isn’t coming from the street before investing your money in a contracted service. Our team will let you know if we were able to rectify the issue or if you should proceed to reach out to a third party.
Remember: the property owner owns the sewer line from where it makes its connection in the street at our main, all the way through the service line, and throughout the structure.
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 does the service discontinuance process work?
| Bill Issue | 1st of the Month |
| Bill Due | Upon Receipt** |
| Penalty | 18th of the Month |
| Eligible for Discontinuance | 30 Days After Bill Issue |
** There are no penalty waivers for “I didn’t get a bill.” Please reach out to our office if you have not received your bill by the 7th.
The discontinuance process begins with 1 free notification. Subsequent notifications are issued bi-weekly and fees apply per the rate schedule in accordance with the Utility Services Tenants Rights Act of 1978.
Should you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to make a payment on time and in full, please reach out to us immediately.
MAWSA reserves the right to adjust this schedule at its discretion.
MAWSA is a municipal entity and therefore balances are subject to municpal lien, and are not regulated by the Public Utility Commission.
Common General Questions
How do I properly register and fill my pool?
Aquatics are fun. For information on keeping your water activities safe visit: PoolSafely.gov
For information about filling your pool, please continue reading…
The Authority will again permit owners of pools to have a reduction of their sewer bills, related to the amount of water used during non-drought periods. (No pools shall be filled from Authority water supplies during a declared drought.) The reduction will be in the form of forgiveness for the sewage portion of the bill directly related to the amount of water used, subject to the approval of the sewer provider, provided the property owner(s) comply with the following:
- Pools must have a current registration on file for the present pool season prior to any fills. Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click email to inquire if your pool is already registered, or to request a registration form. Failure to include all of the requested information will result in either a delay of the process, or a denial of requests for reductions.
- If you need to register, the form will require a certification by the property owner(s) signature(s) that pool filling and draining will be conducted according to the Authority’s Rules and Regulations, and any related Borough or Township regulations.
- After registration is complete (or confirmed) the owner must contact MAWSA prior to filling or topping-off a pool with a current pre-fill meter reading. Please use the exact meter reading on the meter, decimal and ending digits included. (Ex. 5249863.07). Meter reading or photo of meter reading may be texted to 717-665-2737, emailed to info@MAWSA.org, or called in the office. (If we cannot answer your call you must leave a message with the reading in the general voicemail box.)
- After filling the pool, you must provide the exact post-fill meter reading via either method listed above. Contacting before, and after, is important for auditing purposes. You may not receive the sewer credit if you wait to send in both readings until after the fill is complete.
- Delinquent accounts will not be eligible for sewer credits.
- Failure to comply with these provisions will be viewed as a violation of Authority polices and rules and regulations. As such, repeated violations will result in your forfeiture of the rate reduction benefit.
- Please note Penn Township residents: Penn Township credits will be issued per occurrence over 1000 gallons, for the exact whole digit gallon amount used. No credits will be issued for activity involving less than 1000 gallons in a single fill.
- Please note Manheim Borough & Rapho Township credits will be issued per occurrence over 500 gallons, for the exact whole digit gallon amount used.
No credits will be issued for activity involving less than 500 gallons in a single fill.
For example:
- Meter Readings: 26748.52 to 27421.32 for use of 672.80 gallons. Sewer credit: 673 gallons.
- Meter Readings: 26748.52 to 27223.52 for a use of 475 gallons. No sewer credit.
What’s this black gunk on my faucet?
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.
Contacting MAWSA
You can reach MAWSA by clicking here, via call or text to 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. Additional hours may be made available by scheduling an appointment. Enter through the courtyard. There are also links on in the Help/Account Management section of the Customer Web Portal.
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.
