| Q: What does the County charge for the water? |
A: The current rate is
$5.60 per 1,000 gallons of water. A typical family of four uses about
7,000 gallons of water per month. That equates to a water bill of about
$31.50 per month. * |
| Q: What does it cost to connect? |
A: Medina County charges a
construction charge in lieu of an assessment to help pay for a portion
of the cost of new waterlines, this cost is $4,000 for water supplied
from Avon Lake or $4600 for water supplied by the Cleveland Water
Department. The County also charges a $50 permit fee, a $590 1" tap
fee, and $315 to pay for a 3/4" meter. Should an outside meter be
required, the meter cost will be $625. * |
| Q: What Fees Are Involved? |
A: See a description of fees here. |
| Q: Do I have to pay these costs if I don't connect? Will the price go up in the future? |
A: No, homeowners do not have
to pay the charges if they do not connect. The price charged for
construction is set by the County Board of Commissioners and is based
on actual construction costs. Although the current charge has not been
changed since 1993, the charge will be increased as construction costs
increase. Costs for meters and connections will increase as the cost of
materials increase. |
| Q: Who pays for the connection from the street to my home? |
A: The homeowner will need to
hire a contractor registered with the County to install the connection.
Past estimates for the cost of this type of construction have ranged
from $5 to $10 per foot. The costs will vary depending on site
conditions. * |
| Q: What type and size of pipe will I need to run to my house? |
A: Our water department
personnel will size your line for you based on the water pressure in
your location and your distance from the street. The typical service
connection is 1" diameter. Service connections must be type K copper
when the meter is installed in the house. Type K copper is required to
an outside meter but 200 psi plastic pipe is acceptable after the meter
vault. |
| Q: Who bores under the street if the waterline is on the opposite side of the road? |
A: Your contractor will need
to dig access pits for the County's bore machine to bore under the
road. The cost of the bore is included in your connection fee. |
| Q: Does the County offer financing? |
A: Yes, the County will
finance the construction fee for a period of five (5) years at the same
interest rate that the County receives. Financing is for existing homes
only and is made available to homeowners for just one year after
construction is complete. |
| Q: Is there a penalty if we do not hook up? |
A: No, there are no penalties
for not connecting. There is a delayed tap-in charge of $4 per month
that accumulates until the time of connection. The charge was
established to assist in paying for the water towers, pump stations,
over-sized lines and hydrants installed for fire protection that is
available to every home whether connected to the waterline or not. The
fee is only collected when a home connects to the waterline. Otherwise
these charges are included in the $5.60 per 1,000 gallons collected in
the monthly water bill. * |
| Q: Where does Medina County get their water? |
A: Water from Lake Erie is
treated by the City of Avon Lake and delivered into Medina County
through three (3) separate transmission lines. |
| Q: When do I need an outside meter and vault? |
A: In General, outside meters are required when a house is set more than 150 feet back from the street. |
| Q: Will the central water bring more development to our area? |
A: In areas not served with
public sewers, lot sizes must remain large to accommodate septic
systems. Central water will make an area more desirable but will not
increase the density of development. |
| Q: Can I keep my well or cistern? |
A: A well or cistern can be
kept in service as long as it is not physically connected to any
plumbing that is connected to Medina County's water system. |
| Q: What Does "Boil Alert" Really Mean? |
A: See a description here |
| Q: What Are Some Ways I Can Conserve Water? |
A: Here is a list of some ideas |
| Q: What Should I know About Lead In My Drinking Water? |
A: Some facts about lead here |
| Q: What should I do if I have a sewer back-up? |
A: Please contact our office
immediately at 330-723-9585 or 330-723-9581 before taking action on
your own. If your back-up occurs after hours, on a weekend or holiday,
please call 330-725-7143 or 330-225-3113. On-call service personnel
will come to your home immediately and instruct you of a course of
action. |
| Q: Whose responsibility is it to repair and maintain the sewer? |
A: The County is responsible
for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the main sanitary line
and the laterals within the street right-of-way. The lateral sewer line
that extends from the property line to the home or structure as well as
the internal plumbing system is the property owner's responsibility. |
| Q: What is the primary reason for a sewer back-up? |
A: The primary cause of sewer
back-ups is grease that has been discharged into the sewer. The grease
coagulates and combines with other material which eventually will form
a plug in the line that does not allow water to continue to flow. |
| Q: What can I do to prevent a sewer back-up? |
A:
- Avoid pouring cooking grease down the drain. Pour grease in a can or jar and dispose of it in the trash.
- Use the garbage disposal sparingly and while operating the
garbage disposal, run cold water the entire time. Avoid using the
disposal for waste that is too large or too hard to be ground
thoroughly.
- Use a drain screen to catch hair, lint and other debris in sinks, tubs and floor drains.
- Avoid flushing diapers, paper towels, sanitary napkins or other debris down the toilet.
- Do not pour oil, grease, antifreeze, cleaning fluids,
thinners, paints, solvents or other similar chemicals in the floor
drain. Contact the Central Processing Facility for household hazardous
waste disposal options (330-769-1273).
- Periodically check any clean-out caps to make sure they are
secure so no debris can enter into it and no children or pets can injur
themselves.
|
| Q: What does the County do to prevent disruption of service? |
A: Medina County does routine
cleaning of the sewer main to reduce or eliminate recurring sewer
blockages in known problem areas. Medina County also works with cities,
townships, and villages to find and correct problems that cause inflow
and infiltration of the sanitary sewer system which overload the system
with ground or storm water. |
