Meter Reading

It's that time again.  The boys, Jerry & Jeremy, will be out and about next Monday and Tuesday reading meters for the first billing cycle of 2012.  When your bill arrives, please be sure to read the enclosed information letter about our pipeline replacement program.  As always, your payment will be due on February 25th.  If you have difficulties meeting that due date, please call Becky at 951-659-2675 and discuss it with her.

Meter Reading

Just a quick reminder that the boys, a.k.a. Jerry and Jeremy, are out reading meters today.  August water bills will be in the mail on August 2 and will be due on August 25th.  Please remember to continue conserving water when ever possible.  Even though we are not in any conservation stages, the more we save now, the more we will have later or in lean years.  You never know when old Mother Nature is going to withhold the moisture and we want to be sure we are prepared.

Meter Readings

Just a quick reminder that on Thursday and Friday of this week, the boys, Jerry and Jeremy, will be out and about reading meters.  Bills will be mailed out the first part of next week and will be due on August 25.  Remember, we bill every other month on the even months. 

Monday Musings

Here it is the 18th of the month already.  Where does the time go?  Next week it will be time to read the meters again.  The boys will probably be out and about the second half of next week.  Bills will be sent out the first part of the following week.  Just thought I'd give everyone a heads up.  As a reminder, we bill every other month on the even months.  So February, April, June, August, October and December are the months you will receive a bill.

Bills are always due by the 25th of the month they are received in.  If you are going to have a problem paying, it is best to get in touch with Becky at 951-659-2675 and let her know.  Late payments are subject to a $15 late fee and so you want to avoid that if possible.

We also want to remind everyone to turn their water off at their customer valve when they leave their mountain home.  Yes, it is summer, but leaks can happen any time of the year.  Customers are responsible for all the water that runs through their meter, so leak prevention is critical. We have to be vigilant all year long, not just in the winter time.  So if you are leaving, take a minute and turn your water off.  It is like the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  So true when it comes to turning the water off to your home.

If you do not know where your customer valve is, please give us a call and one of the boys, Jerry or Jeremy,  will be more than happy to come out and show you where it is located and how to turn it off and on.  It is a simple thing that can save you thousands of dollars in water bills and damage.  If you have an outdoor watering system, it is good to check that periodically for leaks as well.  Some times the squirrels can reek havoc with outdoor drip systems or they can just develop leaks over time.  A few minutes spent in maintenance and prevention will also go a long way in preventing unexpected leaks. 

Here at the Pine Cove Water District, we want our customers to be aware of things that can and do go wrong and how to prevent a catastrophic leak.  I know we sound like a broken record at times, however, there are still those who do not heed our advice or warnings and they end up with a problem.  We hate to see anyone have to deal with that, so we will keep repeating ourselves over and over again.  Turn your water off when you leave your mountain home!

June Billing

The June bills will be out later this week.  Jerry and Jeremy are out reading meters today and tomorrow and we will be sending out the bills later this week.  The bills are for April and May's water usage.  Remember that we bill every other month on the even months.  If you have any questions, please give us a call at 951-659-2675 and we would be happy to answer your questions.

Meter Reading

Next week the boys, Jerry and Jeremy, will be out and about reading meters.  Luckily we should have no problems with snow this time.  Bills will be out by the end of next week. We bill ever other month on the even months.  The new bills will be due on June 25th.  If you do not receive your bill, please give us a call as once we mail them we have no control over them.  Not receiving your bill does not mean you do not have to pay it.  We can very easily tell you the amount you owe over the phone, so feel free to give us a call at 951-659-2675 if you do not receive a bill.

Meter Reading Time

Yes boys and girls, it is that time again.  The boys are out and about reading meters today.  It will probably take them until Wednesday to finish up due to the snow.  Luckily it is warming up and the snow is melting.  If you would like to help them out a bit, you can make sure your water meter is shoveled out so they can read it.  This really helps the process along.  Other wise they have to stop and shovel out each meter before they can read it.  Since we have almost 1100 meters in the district, you can see how time consuming this could become.  We appreciate any help you can give us with this matter.

Meter Reading

Jerry J. and Jeremy ( a.k.a., "the boys") will be out and about next week reading meters.  Starting on Monday, they will begin reading.  Hopefully, some of this snow will have melted by then.  It always takes them longer when they have to dig out meters.  So if you see them out and about, say Hi!

Still reading meters

Reading the meters is taking longer than usual.  Sunday's snow means that many of the meters have to be dug out by hand.  Yesterday, many of them were frozen as well as needed dug out.  Today, the bitter cold wind is making for slow going as well.  We expect the boys to be reading the meters all day today and into tomorrow as well.  We will still try to get the bills out by the end of the week. 

Meter Reading Today

With Sunday's storm, we weren't sure we would be able to read meters, however, the boys got out yesterday and were able to make a start on it.  They will be out today as well, although this morning is a little challenging, since things are frozen over.  Hopefully, every thing will thaw out in short order this morning and we are not expecting any further problems.

Bills will be sent out later this week and will be in the new format.  We hope everyone likes the new billing style and finds them easier to deal with than the old postcard style bills.  We are anxious to hear your feed back on this. 

There is still a possibility of leaks that have not been detected.  If we notice any unusual water use on any one's account, Becky will be calling to notify the property owner.  Several were found in January, but there could be more that have not yet been discovered.  If you are not a full time resident, please make sure you have turned your water off at your customer valve.

Finally Friday

This is the last Friday in January. Monday, the boys will be out reading meters. January has been a rough month fraught with leaks. Several customers had substantial leaks and many more had smaller leaks. Once the meters are read and the bills prepared, Becky will be able to tell if anyone else has a leak that has not yet been discovered. If she sees a substantial jump in water usage, she will notify the property owner. We try to be alert to leaks at all times, however, it is ultimately the property owner's responsibility to find and fix leaks that are on their side of the meter.

I know we sound like a broken record here, but we have to keep saying this over and over again because many homeowners do not heed this warning.

The single most important thing you can do when you leave your mountain home is turn the water off at your customer shut off valve.

If the water is shut off at the customer valve, then you will avoid frozen and broken pipes or leaks. If you develop a leak while you are away from your home, an awful lot of water can pass through your meter before you ever find out about it. This can cause a lot of damage if it is inside your house. Not all leaks are detectible either. If they are underground or inside your home, we cannot always spot them and have no way of knowing there is a leak until the meters are read.

If you do not know where your customer shut off valve is or how to shut off your water, please give us a call at 951-659-2675 and we would be happy to come out and help you. Just call during regular business hours of Monday thru Friday from 9 until 4 and we will send Jerry J. or Jeremy out as soon as possible.  We are here to help and we hope you will contact us if you are unsure of how or where to turn your water off.

If you are off the hill and would like us to go out and check your home, we can do so.  There is a $15 fee for this service, however, if you are unsure if you turned your water off and cannot get back up on the hill to check for yourself, having us do it for you is the safest way to go.  That way you will know your water is off and you wont' have to worry about leaks developing while you are away.  It is like the old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Billing

Next week we will be sending out the first bills of the New Year. There seems to be some confusion about this, so I am going to try to clear up some misconceptions.

Bills go out every other month on the even months. The billing months for the year are as follows:

February, April, June, August, October and December.

The bills go out on or about the 1st of these months. They are due on the 25th of the month they are received. If a payment is not received by the 25th, a reminder letter will be sent out. We cannot single out people and not send the letter. The billing program is set up to send letters to each account that has not been paid and it would be too time consuming to pick and choose who gets them. If your account is outstanding, no matter the reason, you will receive a letter. This is just a reminder that your bill has not been paid. This is a courtesy that we provide to our customers just so they are aware that the due date has come and gone and we have not received their payment.

If you feel you are going to be late in paying, please give Becky a call at 951-659-2675 or email her at Becky@pcwd.org. Let her know what is going on and when you might be able to pay. She is always happy to work with you on your bill.

If you do not pay it by the 10th of the following month, a $15 late fee will be accessed to your account. Many people get upset by this, but by the time the 10th rolls around, it has been about 6 weeks since the bills were sent out and we are approaching the next billing period. The best way to avoid this charge, is to send in your payment in a timely manner. If this isn't possible, please call us at 951-659-2675.

If you do not receive your bill in the mail, this does not mean you do not have to pay it. You are responsible for the amount due regardless of the efficiency or lack there of, of the United States Postal Service. We are changing from postcard type bills to bills in a business sized envelope, in hopes of resolving the problem of misplaced postcard bills. However, once the bills leave our office, we have no control over what happens to them as they go thorough the postal system. We often hear, "I never got my bill" as a reason for not paying. If you do not get your bill, please give us a call, email us or stop by and we can let you know the status of your account and the amount due, if any. This approach will save you from having a late fee added to your account.

If you are a renter, it is up to you and your landlord to work out an arrangement to pay the water bill. The District does not get involved in working out agreements between a homeowner and a tenant. If you are renting out your property, please be sure to let your tenant know who is responsible for paying the water bill. If your renter will be paying, please inform them of the total due in a timely manner so they have adequate time to come in and pay the bill.

Please remember that you are responsible for all the water that runs through your meter. There seems to be a misconception that if you have a leak, you do not have to pay for the water that was lost in the leak. This is not true. If it ran through your meter, you are responsible to pay for it, regardless of the reason it was used. Our Board of Directors sets the policy on this and we, as water district employees, have to follow said policy. If you disagree with this, the best course of action is to write a letter to the Board of Directors and they can put it on the agenda for review. We do realize that a leak can cause an unexpected hardship with a large water bill, so we are, in certain instances, able to work with you should you be faced with this dilemma. Again, call us and talk to us about it and we will be happy to help you as best we can.

Our office is now open from 9 to 4 with no closure for lunch on most days, so feel free to stop on by!

You can pay your bill by check, cash or credit card. If you choose to use a credit card you can do it in person or over the phone. There is a $2.50 convenience fee charged by the company that processes our credit card payments. Stop by and say hi, we love seeing our customers.

Meter Reading

Next Monday, January 31st, the boys, Jerry J. and Jeremy, will be out and about reading meters. If you have a leak that has not yet been detected, this should alert us to it. As usual, Becky will call any customer who has an unusal increase in their water consumption. We have been diligently looking for leaks all month long, but sometimes they are not visible or even outside. Once the meter is read, then we can see how much water was used at each household and notify those who we feel might have a leak.

For those who are not full time residents here, now might be a good time to come up and check on your mountain home. The weather is absolutely gorgeous, the snow has melted and you could get a good look around your property. If you haven't turned your water off at your customer valve, now would be the perfect time to do it.

New Billing Look

It is almost that time again. We will probably be reading meters on Jan. 31st and Feb. 1st. You will be receiving your bills during the first week in February. They will have a new look this time. Instead of the postcard bills that we normally send out, we will be sending paper bills in envelopes. Hopefully this will end the "I never got my bill" problem that we hear about each time we do a billing. Apparently, they get stuck in magazines or get lost quite a bit. So in order to solve this problem, we are switching to a paper bill placed inside a business sized envelope.

We wanted everyone to be aware of the new style so you don't accidentally throw them away. They will also say "Billing Enclosed" on the front so they won't be mistaken for some sort of junk mail. We hope this will solve an ongoing problem and make it easier for those whose bills are getting waylaid in the mail.

Monday Musings

It is beautiful Monday morning. Cold, but clear and sunny. After a long holiday weekend, it is nice to get back to the daily routine. While holidays are nice, I always feel like I am living in a dream world for those few days. Once Monday hits, it is back to reality and I find that comforting. Since I am very routine oriented, I am always happy to be back at my desk here at the water district.

All the employees here at the Pine Cove Water District, hope that each of our customers had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. But now it is back to the business of running the water district. You will notice the boys, Jerry and Jeremy, out and about reading meters. New water bills will be out shortly.

We would like to remind everyone that we bill every other month on the even months. So we will be sending out December's bills in a few days. Remember that water bills are due on the 25th of the month. If you have not paid your bill by the due date, you will receive a late notice reminding you that the bill is due and that a late charge will be added to your account should it not be brought current.

We would also like to remind our customers that we now accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards. You can stop in and pay with your card or you can phone us and pay over the phone. There is a $2.50 processing fee that is charged by the company who processes the credit card payments for us. This money goes to them and not to us! We hope this option helps you manage your water bills.

If you need more information on our billing policies, please feel free to call the office at 951-659-2675 during regular business hours, which are now Monday thru Friday from 9 am until 4 pm.

Water Bills Sent

Water bills were sent out on Monday, Oct. 4th. If you don't receive your bill, please feel free to call us at 951-659-2675 or stop in the office at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd.and we can tell you how much you owe. There are occassional reports of bills that go missing after we mail them. We have no way to know which ones don't arrive and we have no way to track them.

If your bill doesn't arrive, please don't wait 5 or 6 weeks to check on this. Some people mistakenly think that not receiving a bill relieves them of the responsibility to pay it. This is not true. The bill is due on Oct. 25 and is subject to a late fee if not paid on time. So please keep these dates in mind and if your bill doesn't arrive, please call or stop in so we can let you know the amount of your bill. Thank you!

Water Bills

Just a reminder that your water bills should be arriving in your mail box early next week. They will be due on October 25. If you have not received your bill by the
10th of the billing month, please call the office at 951-659-2675 and Becky or Vicki will be more than happy to look up your account and let you know how much your bill amount is.

Please remember that once we mail the bills, we have no idea what becomes of them and we cannot track them. Just because your bill doesn't arrive, does not mean you are relieved of your responsibility to pay it. We use post card type bills and once in awhile they get waylaid at the post office or stuck in a magazine or some other fate befalls them prior to them arriving in your mail box.

So remember, should your water bill go missing, please call us or stop by the office and we will be happy to assist you. We now accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover if you wish to pay by credit card. We are able to take credit card payments over the phone as well, so feel free to just give us a call and we will be happy to take care of that transaction for you.

As always, we like to remind everyone to please turn your water off at your customer shut off valve anytime you leave your mountain home. Once water has gone through your meter, it is your responsibility to pay for it. Turning your water off is the best way to assure you don't come home to a disaster.

Meter Reading Today

Just a quick reminder that the boys are out and about reading meters today. Hope they don't get too wet!

Meter Reading

Well folks, it is that time again. Later this week, the boys, aka Jeremy and Jerry, will be out and about reading water meters. Remember if you don't know where your customer valve is located, now is the time to locate it. If you need help, please call the office at (951)659-2675 on Monday through Friday between 9am and 4pm. We will be happy to send someone out to help you locate your valve and show you how to turn it off. We are happy to do this while the weather is nic