Water Service Information

When Winter has arrived that means the possibility of frozen pipes. It has been suggested that a faucet be left dripping to help keep pipes from freezing. Yes, it does work. Yes, you may have a higher water bill. But which is worse -- a higher water bill or paying a plumber to replace broken water pipes?

If you decide to leave water dripping on those frigid days and nights, consider placing a bucket under the faucet to catch the water to "recycle" it. The captured water may then be used to water animals or plants, which might help you feel the water is not wasted. Placing a towel or washing cloth over the container may help with the noise of the "drip-Drip-DRIP.

If you are not planning to stay at your house because of a power outage, please contact the district office and plan to have your water shut off at the meter so that in the event of a water pipe freezing and busting, your house will not flood. There is no charge for this service if you make sure to let us know it is for weather purposes. You will still receive a minimum monthly bill, but again, it is still cheaper than a plumber.

If you have a "shut off valve" at your home, you can shut the water off there, however, you will still have the possibility of the line freezing/busting from the meter to the house. If you decide to shut off at the meter yourself, do not force shut off at meter. If it is not easily moved, please give us a call to turn it off for you. There is no charge for doing this.

On the face of the meter on the lower right side, there is a small dial that is red. This is called a leak detector. If you are sure that the water is off in the house and that little red dial is moving, there is water going through the meter somewhere. It might be a sticking toilet, a dripping faucet, or a water hose that is not fully shut off causing the dial to move. If it is just a small "drip" leak, it might not move very fast.

The plastic lids are not as heavy as the metal ones even with the "radio" attached. The lids have a "lip" which helps secure them to the meter pit. See the item below for "locking" and "unlocking" your meter lid.

We have started using locking lids, so if you are not able to remove them, please contact the District.

The new meter lids are made of heavy plastic, and lawnmowers seem to love to eat them. Please do not run over the lids. We strongly advise you to make sure that your meter lid is securely tightened before you mow. If you should accidentally run over your meter lid and damage it, please let us know so it may be replaced. A damaged meter lid may cause problems in the cold of winter.

Along with spring and summer comes vegetable and flower gardens, watering the lawn and filling swimming pools. For many of us, it is hard to judge how much water, in terms of gallons, comes out of the water hose when watering.

Before you water or fill the pool for the first time this year, jot down the reading on your meter, then fill the pool or do your watering. When finished, read the meter again. This will give you an idea of how much extra water was used.

Be sure to secure the meter lid down after each time you read the meter.

Every year the State of Missouri, Department of Natural Resources, Public Drinking Water Branch, requires water districts to provide customers with a "water quality report". The report is available by April of each year. The Water District will include a note on all customer bills in June advising that the report is available on the District’s website.

You can also view the latest report using Adobe Acrobat or a browser from the link on our home page.