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General Information |
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Q:
I have a question and need to get answers. |
A: The Customer Service
Unit at (216) 664-3130 can help. Representatives stand
ready to answer questions about service, from billing to
starting or terminating service. If the representative
cannot answer your question, she or he will certainly
know the right unit to call. |
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Q: When is the Cleveland Division of Water
open? |
A:
The Division is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday to assist customers. Customers can
call Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. Emergency teams are on call 24 hours a day,
seven days a week by calling (216) 664-3060. |
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Q: How can I recognize a Division of Water
employee who comes to my home? |
A: Any Division of Water employee who visits
your home will carry a photo identification card that
they will show you at your request. For your safety,
always ask to see this identification card before
allowing the person into your home. Should someone
posing as an employee refuse to show the identification
card, please call (216) 664-2444 ext.5333 immediately to
report the impostor. |
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Q: I'm writing a term paper on Cleveland's
water system. Where can I get detailed information? |
A: Contact the Public Relations Unit at (216)
664-2444, ext. 5676. The unit publishes a wealth of
information about the water system for interested
consumers. The unit can also provide information about
touring facilities. Moreover, the unit sponsors a
Speakers Bureau that sends people to discuss the system
with students, church groups, and other interested
parties. |
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Q: What should I do about my water service
and bill if I sell my property or purchase new property? |
A: The Customer Service Unit at (216) 664-3130
will assist you. 'The unit will need your title transfer
date, and the new owner's name. |
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Q: If I move to a new property, am I
responsible for the previous owner's balance? |
A: No. The new owner's responsibility begins
the day the title is transferred. |
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Q: I rent, but I want to pay my own water
bill. What should I do? |
A: Come to our main office at 1201 Lakeside
Avenue and pay a deposit. You will need a copy of your
lease agreement and identification with a picture on it.
Your water and sewer bill will carry the property
owner's name, but will come to your address. |
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Emergencies, Inspections, and Repairs |
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Q: What department should I call if a water
main breaks? |
A: Call the Harvard Service Yard at (216)
664-3060. This section handles emergencies such as
broken mains, as well as situations such as depressions
where water main work has been performed, missing
manhole covers and poor water pressure. |
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Q: Who should I call if my sewer backs up
into my basement? |
A: Cleveland residents should call the Division
of Water Pollution Control at (216) 664-2513.
Residents of surrounding areas should contact the
municipality in which they live. |
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Q: If I need to make repairs, whom should I
call to have my water turned off or on? |
A:
Call the Customer Service Unit at (216) 664-3130 between
the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. After 5:00 p.m.,
call the Water Service Yard at (216) 664-3060. |
Q: How can I schedule an inspection to make
sure my plumbing repairs are up to code?
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A: The Permit Sales Unit at (216) 664-2444,
ext. 5203 sends inspectors to check plumbing after
repairs have been carried out to verify that work has
been done to code. |
Q: Last winter my water pipes froze and
burst. How can I keep that from happening?
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A: If you live in a home with an unheated
basement, or in a slab home with a crawl space
underneath, extremely cold weather may cause your water
lines to freeze or your internal plumbing lines to
burst.
You can take several steps to minimize the risk of
experiencing this problem:
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Keep areas with exposed pipes warm.
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Wrap water pipes in unheated areas with pipe
insulation or blankets.
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Open a tap and let the water run in a continuous
stream about the thickness of a pencil.
The amount of money you spend taking this precaution
will be small, certainly much less than the cost of
repairing damaged lines. |
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Water Quality |
Q: My water looks cloudy. Who
should I call for help?
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A: During regular business hours (7:30 am-5:30
pm) call our Hydraulics Service Office at (216)
664-3160. After hours, please call the Harvard Station
service line at (216) 664-3060. These locations handle
questions and complaints regarding the odor, taste and
color of water. Most of the time, the problem lies not
in the quality of the water, but in a plumbing problem.
For instance, cloudy water is almost always the result
of air bubbles in water, and our Hydraulics Service
group can instruct you how to eliminate the problem. |
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Q: What should I do if I get Red Water?
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A: If you experience red water, your first step
should be to contact the Division of Water (See Above).
Provide the operator as much information as possible,
including time and date the problem stated, location,
and your best description of the problem. For a more
detailed explanation of Red Water, please click here. |
Q: What if I think I have a serious water
quality problem?
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A: The Division's Central Compliance Laboratory
is the place to call at (216) 664-3323; after office
hours call (216) 664-3060. Experts will ask you
questions regarding the problem and take the steps
required to resolve it, if necessary. |
Q: Should I be concerned about chlorine and
fluoride in my water?
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A: No, you should be concerned if they are not
in your water. These two chemicals have made a powerful
contribution to public health. Chlorine kills bacteria,
and fluoride contributes to dental health. The use of
chlorine has virtually eliminated the outbreak of such
deadly diseases as typhoid fever in the U.S., while the
use of fluoride has reduced by half the incidence of
dental cavities among children age 5-17. Virtually every
public and private health agency, including the U.S.
Public Health Service and World Health Organization,
endorses the use of fluoride in water. |
Q: Do the zebra mussels in Lake Erie pose
any danger to water quality?
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A: No, they don't. These mollusks multiply very
quickly and can block water intake screens, but pose no
threat at all to public health. |
Q: Is lead a problem in Cleveland drinking
water?
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A: Absolutely not. The water produced by the
Division of Water is well within the very strict
government standards for water purity and absence of
lead. Any problems of lead in drinking water stem
primarily from lead service lines that connect homes to
water mains, and from lead pipes and solder used in home
plumbing systems installed before Congress banned such
use in 1986. The Division of Water routinely eliminates
lead service connections during construction and
maintenance programs. For additional information,
contact the Customer Service Unit at (216) 664-3130. |
Q: I read about an organism called
Cryptosporidium. Does this affect Cleveland drinking
water?
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A: CWD tests Lake Erie water monthly for
Cryptosporidium, a microscopic organism that primarily
comes from human and animal waste and is naturally
present in surface water. When ingested by warm-blooded
animals, Cryptosporidium may cause fever and
gastrointestinal illness. To date, our tests of Lake
Erie have revealed the presence of only a few organisms. |
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Meters, Billing and Payment |
Q: I lost my water bill. What should I do?
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A: Call the Customer Service Unit at (216)
664-3130 to request a duplicate bill. |
Q: I received a water bill even though I
was out of town for four months and didn't use any
water. Why?
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A: Customers who use no water must still pay a
minimum charge if water service is available to the
property. |
Q: Who should I call to correct a
misspelled name or incorrect address on my water bill?
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A: The Customer Service Unit at (216) 664-3130
will take care of the problem. |
Q: Several water bills have piled up on,
me. What should I do to take care of them?
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A: Call the Collection Unit at (216) 664-2700.
A representative will help you structure a plan to pay
your bills in full and avoid any interruption in
service. |
Q: Not all the water I use drains away
through the sewers. What about the water I use to
sprinkle my lawn?
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A: Check with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer
District at 881-6600 if you are receiving a bill from
them, or with the city or municipality in which you
live, to find out if you are eligible to avoid sewer
charges for water that does not go through the sewer. |
Q: Do I have to pay for sewerage if I fill
my swimming pool?
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A: Yes, you do, because pool water eventually
drains through the sewers and must be treated before
returning to Lake Erie. |
Q: Can I pay my water and sewer bills with
one check?
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A: Yes, you can. Send the check to the P.O. Box
listed on the water bill. |
Q: I'm a senior citizen, and I
want to know if I am eligible for discounted water
service.
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A: The Division of Water's Homestead Exemption
program is for senior citizens and permanently disabled
customers with annual income of $30,000 or less. Contact
the Customer Services Unit at (216) 664-3130 for more
information |
Q: If I am going to move, can I provide a
final meter reading?
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A: Yes, you can. If you provide the Customer
Service Unit at (216) 664-3130 with a final reading, the
final bill will be produced the same day and mailed to
your new address the next day. |
Q: So how do I read my meter?
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A: Read the numbers across from left to right,
just as you would read an odometer on a car. |
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