Why do I have to pay a water bill during the winter months when I live elsewhere?

Many customers have a second residence in Florida or other southern location during the winter months. But while they are away, the routine costs of operating their water and sewer systems continues. The minimum bi-monthly water and sewer bill is intended to cover those routine costs including debt, staff, vehicles, providing fire protection, etc. These costs exist regardless of whether any water is used or not. Ebensburg no longer has, and has not had for many years, a system by which customers are removed from the billing system until they return home. At your request, we will physically turn-off your water service and then turn it back on when you return. The cost is $25 for each visit. This is a significant savings when compared to the minimum monthly bills. Customers are cautioned to make sure that their heating system does not require the use of water while they are away.

Is Ebensburg’s water soft or hard?

Hard water has high concentrations of Calcium and Magnesium. Ebensburg’s water is considered “soft” or “very soft”.

What causes water to become “milky” at times?

Milky white water is almost always caused by air in the water. One of the many properties of water is its ability to dissolve air. But the water is under pressure in the pipes so the air remains in the water. When you open the faucet and fill your glass with water, the air is free to escape from the water as bubbles, giving the water a milky appearance for a few minutes. Fill a clear glass with water and set it on the counter. If the white color is due to air, the water will begin to clear at the bottom of the glass first, then gradually to the top. This is a natural phenomenon and is completely normal. Your water is safe to use.

Is our water fluoridated?

Virtually all water contains some amount of fluoride. Water fluoridation is the process of adding fluoride to the water supply so that the level reaches approximately 1 part fluoride per million parts water (ppm) or 1 milligram fluoride per liter of water (mg/L); this is the optimal level for preventing tooth decay. Ebensburg does fluoridate the water system, maintaining a level of 0.9-1.0 mg/L.

Why is my bill so high?

Most customers have very consistent water usage from one billing period to the next. If your bill seems high, check the reading on your meter to see if the meter was read correctly. If the reading checks out, there are a number of tests that can be performed to try to find the cause of the additional usage. To see if something within the home is “stealing” water, take a meter reading before you go to bed at night, and then read it when you get up in the morning. If there was water used while you were sleeping, there is a good chance that something is leaking somewhere. The main culprit for unintended water consumption within the home is toilets. If the flapper valve within the toilet tank is leaking water into the toilet bowl, the tank will periodically have to fill to replace the lost water. This type of situation could go undetected for quite a while resulting in a high water bill for the customer. Leaking toilets are to blame for 9 out of 10 high water bills! To check for a leaking toilet, drop dye or food coloring into the toilet water tank. After 25 minutes, check to see if any of the coloring bled out into the bowl. If it did, the toilet’s flapper valve is leaking. Make repairs immediately, as this consumes much more water than you think.

Water meters that “go bad” almost always slow down or STOP! It is a very rare case, in deed, that a water meter would run fast, and has never been known to happen on our system.

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Where can I pay my water/sewer bill?

You can pay your bill at either office of First National Bank in Ebensburg; OR you can pay by debit or credit card in person or by phone at the Ebensburg Municipal Office; OR you can direct us to automatically draft the payment from your checking account.

Can I pay my water/sewer bill with a credit card?

Yes. You can pay with a debit or credit card in person at the Ebensburg Municipal Office or by telephone.

I had a water leak. Can I get a credit on my bill?

Unfortunately, the water that you leaked cost the system just as much as if you used it for its intended purpose. So no, we cannot credit your water account. We do, however, credit your sewer bill IF the location of the leak did not result in the lost water entering the sewer system.

A water main break in my neighborhood caused everyone’s water to become dirty. I had to let the water run to flush the lines. Can I get a credit?

At Ebensburg’s current rates, the cost of one gallon of water is less than one-half cent. Completely flushing a 50-gallon hot water tank costs less than a quarter. We regret such occasional inconveniences, but credit is not issued in such cases.

Can I fish in Ebensburg’s reservoirs?

Ebensburg’s reservoirs are open to limited fishing through a cooperative management agreement with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. All fishing must be done from the shore. No boats are permitted, and anglers are not permitted in the water. Fishing from the breast of the reservoir is strictly PROHIBITED, as the water intakes are hazardous. No fires are permitted on the reservoir properties.