A minimum bill tariff is very common in West Virginia. The minimum bill ensures that all customers of a water and/or sewer utility pay a minimum amount for a predetermined number of gallons, regardless of their actual consumption. This rate design guarantees that a utility covers some of its fixed costs of serving customers, like debt service, even if customers use no water at all. Another reason for a minimum bill is the large costs the District incurs in repaying loans and the operation and maintenance expenses that the District incurs in providing water and /or sewer service. The cost of water and sewer mains, the meter settings and the expense of employees to maintain the systems and preparing and collecting the utility bills are all fixed cost for a utility system. Some of this cost is allocated to all customers equally so that everyone, fairly, contributes the same amount, and that portion becomes the minimum charge. The WVPSC requires these rates to be applied to all customers equally. At Putnam PSD the minimum is 2000 gallons.
Why do I have to pay a deposit? When can I get my deposit back?
It is West Virginia law that requires all public service districts to collect deposits and the public service districts shall not be bound to supply water and/or sewer services until this condition is fulfilled. As such, Putnam PSD does require a deposit. If you are the property owner, your deposit will be refunded to your account after 12 months of timely payments - if you have paid your bill for 12 consecutive months on time with no late payment penalties applied to your account. Tenants will have their deposits applied as payment on their final bill and credit balance (if any) will be refunded to the customer.
How do I disconnect my water service?
To discontinue water and/or service you must notify Putnam PSD in writing. This protects you and Putnam PSD in case issues arise later concerning the disconnection. Our User Disconnect form can be obtained online or in the Business Office.
If you are a water customer of the City of Hurricane or West Virginia American Water and a sewer customer of Putnam PSD – please contact your water utility to verify procedure to discontinue water service with your water provider. The water utility will supply Putnam PSD with the final meter reading and final reading date.
Where and how can I pay my water and sewer bills?
Putnam PSD offers several ways to pay your bill. You may pay your bill:
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electronically using your bank’s online bill pay system;
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payment can be automatically withdrawn (ACH payment) from a customer’s checking or savings bank account. The ACH Request form can be obtained online or in the Business Office.;
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pay any time, with your Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card - visit www.putnampsd.com and click on pay bill. Visit our payment gateway and make your payment;
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by mail with a check or money order;
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in person during regular business hours at our Business Office with cash, check, money order, Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card;
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by phone with Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card;
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or with only a check or money order at our drop box located at our Business Office.
NOTE: Putnam PSD does not have any authorized bill pay locations other than our Business Office. Any electronic payments thru your bank’s online bill pay or a third party bill pay service take 3-7 BUSINESS days to post to your Putnam PSD account. If payment is not received by the latest pay date – penalties will apply. Account is considered paid when the payment is received in the Business Office, not when the bank or third party bill pay service time stamps as paid. IF paying to prevent a termination of services, call to verify that electronic payment has been received in our Business Office.
Where is the Business Office located?
Take the Teays Valley exit (Exit 39) off Interstate 64. Follow the sign toward Scott Depot. At the stoplight at the intersection of WV 34 & Great Teays Blvd (near the Taco Bell and Burger King) take a left turn onto Great Teays Blvd. Follow Great Teays Blvd around to a stop sign at Teays Valley Road (near Krogers & Chase Bank). At this stop sign, turn left onto Teays Valley Road. Drive approximately 0.42 miles to Carls Lane. Make a left turn onto Carls Lane. Our building is located on the left-hand side of Carls Lane. We are the building before the Tri-County YMCA. Look for our sign on the front of the rock wall of our building. There is a water feature in front of the rock wall. It is a one-way drive around the building. Customers will enter the driveway at the 2nd entrance on the north side of the building nearest the YMCA; and exit on the south side of the building. The drive-thru is located on the north side of the building as you enter the driveway. Customer parking and public entrance is on the south side of the building – on the opposite side of the drive-thru location. There is a secure drop box located in the drive thru lane.
My bill is higher than normal because of a leak. Can I get the bill adjusted?
First, contact Putnam PSD and explain the situation to see if the leak qualifies for an adjustment. If yes, complete a leak adjustment form and provide proof of repairs. After the form is completed and the account has been billed for the usage, it goes to our Board of Commissioners for approval. Putnam PSD will recalculate the bill based on your average consumption. Our Leak Adjustment Policy and the Leak Adjustment Request form can be obtained online or in our Business Office.
Do I have to pay the previous tenant’s bill in order to obtain service?
No. As long as the “customer of record” (the person whose name the service was in) no longer lives at the address where the balance was incurred, the current customer cannot be held responsible for a prior tenant’s bill.
I was late paying my bill. How do I avoid having my service terminated?
Contact Putnam PSD to set up a Promise to Pay (PTP) or a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) before the date of termination. The PTP will give you a few extra days to make the payment after the date of termination. The DPA outlines the amount of money you must pay on a past due bill and a schedule to make the payments. Once you agree to a DPA, you are required to pay the current bill in full and on time. You are also required to continue making payments on the DPA in order to prevent your service being terminated. A copy of our DPA Policy can be obtained online or in the Business Office.
I received my bill, but I don’t agree with it. What should I do?
Contact Putnam PSD with any question about billing. Have your account number available, so a representative can easily access your information.
State law states that a public service district can charge customers whether or not they are connected as long as service has been determined to be available. The bill can be based on the customer’s actual water consumption, if the customer is metered, or the average consumption of the customer’s class.
How can I get help if I am having trouble paying my water or sewer bill?
There are a number of State agencies that may be able to assist customers with their utility bills. The statewide West Virginia 2-1-1 service is a good source of information on available resources. It can be reached by dialing 211 or at http://www.wv211.org/.
What if I did not receive my bill in the mail?
Your account is billed monthly. If you do not receive your monthly bill, you should call the Business Office at 304-757-6551. Putnam PSD is not responsible for mail delivery. Failure to receive your bill does not relinquish your responsibility for payment.
A number of reasons cause an increase in your water consumption, including: plumbing leaks in toilets and faucets; an increase in the number of people living in the household; a dry hot summer; or an increase in the number of days in the billing period. See our Toiletology brochure to learn how to check for toilet issues. If you suspect a leak, please call our Business Office to request a “Check for Leak” Work Order for your service.
Miss Utility of WV. They can be reached at 1-800-245-4848 or by dialing 8-1-1. Within 48 business hours the water lines will be marked with blue paint and/or sewer lines will be marked with green paint.
Where does my water come from?
Putnam PSD customers receive their water from a watershed that feeds into Jonathon Lark Reservoir.
Why is my sewer bill more than my water bill?
Sewer expenses are higher than water costs for several reasons. Wastewater treatment is a more complex process than water treatment. Regulations require a high level of wastewater treatment for environmental protection, including sophisticated biological systems for removing organic materials, complicated filters, and modern disinfection methods. As a sewer utility, we must comply with many State and Federal mandates regarding the treatment, processing and disposal of sewage. Our advanced systems are costly to build, operate and maintain; increasing the overall cost of wastewater service. However, the wastewater we return to the environment is almost drinking water quality. In the treatment of sewage, we are providing a service that improves the quality of life by providing for public health and safety and aides in protecting our environment.