Claywood Park

Public Service District

Parkersburg, WV

Back to Top
 

Service Specifications & Policies

 
 

BILL PAYMENT OPTIONS
 

DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO DISTRICT OFFICE

 

BOARD & STAFF
 

PROJECTS
 

RATES & FEES
 

SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS
 

CONTACT US
 

EMERGENCY CONTACT!
 

AUTOMATED METERS INSTALLED
 

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG

1-800-245-4848

GET  UNDERGROUND UTILITIES LOCATED
 

LINKS
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Water_Service_Line_Construction Specifications
 
Sewer_Bill_Adjustment_From_A_Water_Leak
 
"To_Adjust_or_Not_to_Adjust"   A publication of the WV. Public Service Commission.
Sanitary Sewer line Construction Specifications
 
Water_Leak_Adjustment_Policy
 
 

Contact Miss Utility of West Virginia at 1800-245-4848 to locate other underground utilities in your area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Service Line Construction

 

Revised 8/03        

  

 WATER SERVICE LINE CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

 

These specifications are intended to guide anyone who is constructing, replacing or repairing any water service lines outside of the structure, which is, or is intended to be, connected to the water system of Claywood Park P.S.D. This information indicates acceptable practice. It is not possible for these rules to cover every possible situation of question. If you have questions regarding water service installations, please contact the Claywood Park Public Service District at 422-6042, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.

 

1.  INSPECTION:  Any customer service line construction, replacement or repair, whether on public or private property, must be inspected by the District’s personnel before any backfilling of excavation is performed. These inspections can be performed Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Notify the District office at 422-6042 when requesting an inspection. Inspections cannot be performed on weekends or legal holidays. Customer service line construction, replacement or repair, which has not been inspected, will have to be totally uncovered so that the inspection can be performed. Inspection will be performed on the same day the call is received or on the next District working day.

    If a private water supply exists (Well, cistern ect.) at the customer’s residence or place of business it cannot be connected to public supply. There must be an air separation between the two systems. A valve or check valves are not acceptable. Only an approved low-pressure back flow prevention device is acceptable, if it is desired to connect the private and public water supply together. (THIS IS A REGULATION OF THE WV DEPT. OF HEALTH.)

2.  METER LOCATION: After the tap fee of $400.00 is paid District personnel will mark where the water meter is to be set. The customer must then install their service line to that location, and leave approx 4 feet of extra line, after the installation of the line is completed, the customer shall notify the District. The District will then schedule the tap and meter installation.

The meter pit shall be kept accessible at all times. It is required that the customer or contractor shall bring the placement area to the proposed finished grade, before water lines will be laid and meter pit placed.

    The District will not be required to make changes in the customer’s meter pit elevation on account of grade subsequent to the placement of the pit by the District. Such changes shall be accomplished by the District, and the customer shall bear the full cost for such changes.

     If the customer’s property is located along a Dept. of Highways right of way and requires the District to work on that right of way, the district must obtain a permit from the D.O.H. (Allow at least 2-3 weeks to receive permit.)

 3.  SERVICE LINE INSTALLATION: 

a.      The use of any plastic fittings for pipe connections before the shut off valve is PROHIBITED, (only Brass Bronze or steel). The water service will not be established if these types of fittings are used.

b.     Approved pipe materials consist of Iron pipe size (IPS) polyethylene (P.E.) tubing  @ a pressure rating of at least 160 PSI, however, 200 PSI is recommended by the District, and containing the NSF stamp of approval. The pipe diameter shall be ¾” or 1” depending upon the size of your proposed or existing service. If this line is longer than 500 feet, consult the District on proper line size to maintain proper flow.

c.       Backfill material shall consist of fine suitable material no larger than ¾” in diameter. All material shall be free of cinders, ashes, refuse, and organic or inorganic material. The service line will have a minimum of 24 inches of cover in the yard area, and 30 inches in roadways or driveways.

d.     The District requires a shut off valve (brass, bronze or steel) to be located immediately inside the foundation wall, crawl space or basement, at or near the point of entrance of your service line or other readily accessible location. The purpose of this valve is for you to be able to shut off your water if the need arises.

e.      At the point were the service line goes through the block or foundation, a sleeve is required to protect the pipe.

f.      A pressure gauge is strongly recommended by the District, but not required.

g.      The District requires you to install a thermal expansion tank or other approved relief valve (this can be purchased at any hardware store or home center.) you may also sign a release, outlined in section 4 option #2 as well. This is to prevent any damage to your hot water tank or your residence, resulting from Thermal expansion. This is outlined in section (4.) of these regulations.

h.     Cross connections are prohibited. There cannot be a connection between any other water sources, (well, cistern ect…).

i.       The water line must be installed in a trench with at least two feet of separation from other pipes or wires such as, sewer, telephone, electric, cable ect…

 4.  BACKFLOW PREVENTION: Claywood Park P.S.D. is now using a type of outside meter setting which is equipped with a check valve. The purpose is to prevent the water that has gone through your water meter setting from returning to our water system, due to thermal expansion, the installation of a pressure device is required, for the purpose of relieving pressure on your hot water tank and house plumbing. As water is heated it expands; your hot water tank will push cold water out the inlet when heating during times of minimal hot water use. Due to the check valve now required at the meter, water can no longer go back through the meter into the main line. If your hot water tank has pressure relief valve, this expansion of water can result in release of water through the valve and possibly continued dripping of water from the relief valve. Water leaking from this valve may damage your residence. If your hot water tank has no relief valve, then the expansion of water could harm your plumbing and fixtures.

You must choose one of the following options.

 

a.     OPTION 1. Thermal expansion tank, this device is a small tank with an air/ water bladder, or other approved relief valve, (They can be purchased at any hardware store or home center.) The air in the bladder can be compressed, enabling the water to expand in to this tank relieving pressure on other fixtures. This tank is to be located on the cold-water side of the hot water tank. See attached drawing. 

b.  OPTION 2. The customer can sign a release, if they choose not do option 1.

     This is to relieve the District of any liability from damage to the Customer’s plumbing or fixtures, due to thermal expansion.

 5. GENERAL INFORMATION:

a.       Tapping of water main lines is to be done only by Claywood Park Public Service District personnel, or a contractor working for the District.

b.       All service line construction, replacement or repairs must be inspected or water service will not be provided.

c.       Only Claywood Park P.S.D. personnel are to enter the meter pit. Tampering with the District’s property will result in legal action.

 

The use of any plastic fittings for pipe connections on your service line, before the shut off valve, is PROHIBITED. (Only Brass, Bronze or steel is accepted.) The water service will not be established if these types of fittings are used.

 READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THESE SPECIFICATIONS

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CALL 422-6042 MONDAY – FRIDAY FROM 8:00 a.m. TO 4:30 p.m.

 

I

Water Leak Adjustment Policy:

The District will make an adjustment to a customer’s water bill according to the rules of the West Virginia Public Service Commission and this policy adopted by the District Board. To receive an adjustment, the following conditions must be met:

  1. The customer must request an adjustment in writing, on a form available at the District office, within twenty (20) days from the date the water bill (to which the adjustment will be made) was issued.
  2. A representative of the District must verify the location and type of leak and verify that the leak was repaired according to District standards.
  3. The leak has to be in the customer’s service line between meter and dwelling. Leaking fixtures, malfunctioning appliances, running faucets and similar situations will not be eligible for a leak adjustment.

Adjustments to the water bill will be based on "historic usage" of the customer, which shall reflect seasonal or other historical patterns. If the customer does not have at least six (6) previous bills to establish historical usage, then the adjustment will be based on available data, which include similar customers in the area. Usage over historical, will be billed using the District’s incremental cost of water, as determined by the tariff.

For large leaks a payment plan can be set up, if the customer requests such an arrangement. To qualify for a leak payment plan, the bill must be more than fifty dollars ($50) or ten percent (10%) higher than historic bills (whichever is greater) .

The minimum monthly payment that will be considered will be fifty dollars ($50) or five percent (5%) whichever is greater. For customers with both water and sewer these amounts will apply to the combined bill. The payment plan will apply only to the bill that was adjusted. All subsequent bills must be paid in full. The customer must sign the payment plan, showing that the customer agrees to the terms.

 

To Adjust or Not to Adjust ?

Water Rule 4.4.3.

From the February 1997 issue of "The Pipeline", A publication of the West Virginia Public Service Commission. By James Boggess

The rule requires an adjustment for high usage attributable to a leak on the customer’s side of the meter. Excluded, however from a qualifying leak are leaking commodes, dripping faucets, malfunctioning appliances and similar situations. Commission policy is that inside water pipes are considered in the same context as commodes, faucets and other appliances and are the responsibility of the customer. A leak in the service line between the meter and dwelling is the only leak that is to be considered for an adjustment. The rule also states that the customer must provide some proof of the leak.

As to the customer with the outbuilding housing a water heater, I offer these comments. If the leak is directly attributable to the water heater, which is an appliance, the leak does not qualify for an adjustment. I received a phone call from a water utility stating that a customer asked for an adjustment because his water softener (located in an unattached structure) had frozen and burst resulting in a leak of some 50,000 gallons above normal usage. My answer was that the water softener was an appliance and was the responsibility of the customer. Therefore, no adjustment would be made on this water bill.

If the customer has a qualifying leak and is given an adjustment, the rule states that the water utility is to provide the sewer utility the adjusted consumption amount. The sewer utility will then calculate an adjusted sewer bill using the consumption amount provided by the water utility. Common sense dictates utilities use the customer’s consumption for the same period the previous year as the historic usage, unless an unusual amount. Additionally, the last sentence in Sewer Rule 4.3.7.b states: "Any amounts which the customer can prove did not enter the sanitary sewer system shall be credited at full tariff rates.

In the event the customer provides proof of the above, all leaked water then would be written off the sewer bill. The customer would then be provided a sewer bill for historic usage only. If your incremental cost for treating water or sewer exceeds $0.75 for water and $1.00 for sewer, then you are losing on adjustments. File a "T" case and we’ll take care of it in Case Control. If you need help to calculate the incremental cost, then contact he Assistance Section and they will gladly assist you.

 

 

 

Sewer Bill Adjustment From A Water Leak

The District will make an adjustment to a customer’s sewer bill according to the rules of the West Virginia Public Service Commission and this policy adopted by the District Board. To receive an adjustment the following conditions must be met:

The customer must request an adjustment in writing on a form available at the District office, within twenty (20) days from the date the sewer bill (to which the adjustment will be made) was issued.

A representative of the District must verify the location and type of leak and verify that the leak was repaired according to District standards.

The leak has to be in the customer’s water line. Leaking fixtures, malfunctioning appliances, and similar situations will only be eligible for an adjustment on the sewer bill, if the lost water is more than ten thousand (10,000) gallons or ten percent (10%) greater than historic usage.

Adjustments to the sewer bill will be based on "historic usage" of the customer, which shall reflect seasonal or other historical patterns. If the customer does not have at least six (6) previous bills to establish a historical usage, then the adjustment will be based on available data, which include similar customers in the area. Usage over historical,

will be billed using the District’s incremental cost of sewer

Leaks in water lines, in which the water did not enter the sewer, will be based on historical usage only.

For large leaks, a payment plan can be set up, if the customer requests such an arrangement. To qualify for a leak payment plan, the bill must be more than fifty dollars ($50) or ten percent (10%) higher than historic bills (whichever is greater). The minimum monthly payment that will be considered will be fifty dollars ($50) or five percent (5%), whichever is greater. For customers with both water and sewer, these amounts will apply to the combined bill. The payment plan will apply only to the bill that was adjusted. All subsequent bills must be paid in full. The customer must sign the payment plan, showing that the customer agrees to the terms

 

To Adjust or Not to Adjust?

Sewer Rule 4.3.7.

From the February 1997 issue of "The Pipeline", A publication of the West Virginia Public Service Commission. By James Boggess.

The rule requires an adjustment for high usage attributable to a leak on the customer’s side of the meter. Excluded, however from a qualifying leak are leaking commodes, dripping faucets, malfunctioning appliances and similar situations. Commission policy is that inside water pipes are considered in the same context as commodes, faucets and other appliances and are the responsibility of the customer. A leak in the service line between the meter and dwelling is the only leak that is to be considered for an adjustment. The rule also states that the customer must provide some proof of the leak.

As to the customer with the outbuilding housing a water heater, I offer these comments. If the leak is directly attributable to the water heater, which is an appliance, the leak does not qualify for an adjustment. I received a phone call from a water utility stating that a customer asked for an adjustment because his water softener (located in an unattached structure) had frozen and burst resulting in a leak of some 50,000 gallons above normal usage. My answer was that the water softener was an appliance and was the responsibility of the customer. Therefore, no adjustment would be made on this water bill.

If the customer has a qualifying leak and is given an adjustment, the rule states that the water utility is to provide the sewer utility the adjusted consumption amount. The sewer utility will then calculate an adjusted sewer bill using the consumption amount provided by the water utility. Common sense dictates utilities use the customer’s consumption for the same period the previous year as the historic usage, unless an unusual amount. Additionally, the last sentence in Sewer Rule 4.3.7.b states: "Any amounts which the customer can prove did not enter the sanitary sewer system shall be credited at full tariff rates.

In the event the customer provides proof of the above, all leaked water then would be written off the sewer bill. The customer would then be provided a sewer bill for historic usage only. If your incremental cost for treating water or sewer exceeds $0.75 for water and $1.00 for sewer, then you are losing on adjustments. File a "T" case and we’ll take care of it in Case Control. If you need help to calculate the incremental cost, then contact he Assistance Section and they will gladly assist you.