Who should
I call with questions about my water bill?
If you have any questions about your bill, call the Revenue and Finance
Department's Utility Accounting Division at: 274-8811.
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How do you figure my bill?
The Tampa Water Department measures water use by cubic feet instead of gallons. One
hundred (100) cubic feet of water, which is the same as 748 gallons, is
one unit. You are billed for water by the unit.
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Why does my water bill sometimes vary from month to month?
To save taxpayers money, water meters are read every other month. The bill for the
month when your meter is not read is an estimate so every other bill
reflects your household's adjusted actual use.
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Some months my water bill seems very high. Why is that?
There are many possible reasons. Household guests or additional residents increase water
consumption. Filling a swimming pool takes a tremendous amount of water. A
hose left running on the lawn can waste hundreds of gallons. So may a
constantly running toilet. Just a leaking faucet can waste 500 gallons of
water per week!
If your water bill increases dramatically and your household
patterns haven't changed, you may have a leak. For this, or any
other question about your bill, please call the Revenue and
Finance Department's Utility Accounting Division at 274-8811.
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Does the Water Department give discounts?
Sorry, no. We are sometimes asked to give discounts for large families or for people who
have new lawns or swimming pools, but our policy is to charge for the
amount of water used. We think that's fair to all our customers.
Please note that we don't charge for the water itself; we only charge for the cost of
purifying the water and delivering it to you.
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What are connection fees?
Connection fees are one-time charges for property owners who want to become customers
of the Tampa water system. These fees do not apply to properties that
already are paying for water service.
Those affected
may include new construction or properties being switched from well water
to City water.
Connection fees vary; call 274-8121 for more information.
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Why doesn’t the City issue warnings any more for first water
use restriction violations?
The
issuance of warnings for first water use restriction violations
began in May 2006, when the current one-day water use ordinance
went into effect. The discontinuance of warnings and the
establishment of one-day irrigation restrictions are a
continuing response to less than normal levels of rainfall,
increased irrigation demands, decreased flow in the Hillsborough
River and lower than usual reservoir levels during dry periods.
All of those conditions and forecasts for the immediate future
indicate that continuing demand reductions during wet periods to
“bank” water for dry periods remains a prudent course of action
for Tampa residents.
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Does the City’s water use restriction ordinance include
water uses other than irrigation?
Yes. A number of outdoor water use restrictions are included
in the ordinance, including restrictions related to the use of
open hoses, aesthetic fountains, pressure washing and
watering-in of pesticides and fertilizers. It is suggested that
all water users in Tampa review the ordinance and check this Web
site periodically for updates to ensure that they avoid a water
use restriction citation.
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Why do I have to have a working irrigation
system to receive a Sensible Sprinkling Irrigation Evaluation?
The Sensible Sprinkling Irrigation Evaluation program exists
to help customers make informed decisions about upgrades they
can make to their system to increase their outdoor water use
efficiency. Suggested upgrades may be in the areas of zoning,
equipment and/or routine maintenance. In order to assess the
efficiency of an existing system, the system must be fully
operational during the evaluation. The evaluator does not
perform system maintenance during the evaluation. Customers
whose systems are not fully operational when the evaluator
arrives will be asked to bring the system to working order and
then reschedule the evaluation.
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What exactly does the City’s water use restriction ordinance
mean where it reads “All wasteful and grossly inefficient water
use shall be restricted?”
Tampa’s water use restriction ordinance defines “wasteful and
unnecessary use” of water to not be limited to but to include
these types of use:
1. Allowing water to be dispersed without any practical purpose
to the water user, regardless of the type of water used;
2. Allowing water to be dispersed in a grossly inefficient
manner, regardless of the time of water use;
3. Allowing water the be dispersed to accomplish a purpose for
which water use is unnecessary or which can be readily
accomplished through alternative methods without water use.
It is suggested that all water users in Tampa review the
ordinance and check this Web site periodically for updates to
ensure that they avoid a water use restriction citation.
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I just got a water use violation citation for
irrigating new plant materials. I thought that was allowed. Who
do I call?
Tampa’s water use restriction ordinance sets out specific
guidelines for irrigating new plant materials. Please call the
Water Enforcement Office at (813) 349-5014 with questions about
your citation and information about what to do if the irrigation
you were cited for is allowed within the ordinance.
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Why does the City maintain strict water use restrictions
during periods when it is raining frequently?
The establishment of one-day irrigation restrictions are a
continuing response to less than normal levels of rainfall,
increased irrigation demands, decreased flow in the Hillsborough
River and lower than usual reservoir levels during dry periods.
All of those conditions and forecasts for the immediate future
indicate that continuing demand reductions during wet periods to
“bank” water for dry periods remains a prudent course of action
for Tampa residents.
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What is a backflow device and why do I have to need one?
A backflow device is mechanical insert in your plumbing
system on your side of the meter that prevents a reversal of
water flow. Having backflow devices on water connections helps
maintain drinking water quality throughout the system to ensure
that all customers receive the highest quality water possible.
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