A
Consumer-owned Cooperative Since 1969
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Payment and correspondence mailing
address: Ames Lake
Water Association |
Frequently Asked Questions General Inquiries Question: Whom should I contact if I have questions about my account or need additional information? Answer: Please call the business office at (425) 222-7003. We will be glad to assist you. Water Emergencies Question: What should I do if I have a water emergency? Answer: Please call the business office immediately at (425) 222-7003. You will be referred to the on-call Water Operator who can assist you. Business Office Location Question: Where is the Association's business office located? Answer: The business office located next door to Mercury's Coffee on Highway 202 in downtown Fall City. The street address is:
Map of the Service Area Question: Where can I get a map of the Ames Lake Water Association service area? Answer: Click here to download a map of our service area. 2008 Rate Increase Question: Where can I get more information about the rate increase which took effect on May 1, 2008? Answer:
Click
here to read the
official announcement to ALWA Members regarding the rate increase which took
effect on May 1, 2008. Help Understanding Your Bill Question:
Can
you help me to better understand my bill? What are the amortization,
depreciation and base fees for? Answer:
There
are four basic component on your water bill: 1. Water – This is the cost of the water that you
consume during a billing period. The Association’s rates cover the cost of producing
water in the first two tiers shown on the current fee schedule
and promote conservation in tiers three and above. The water usage fee by
itself does not cover all of the ALWA’s expenses like office overhead
expense, amortization or depreciation. 2. Base – The base fee covers the ALWA’s basic
office overhead expenses (i.e., payroll, benefits, rent on the ALWA’s office,
the electric bill for the main office, etc.). 3. Amortization – Amortization covers the cost of paying
back loans used to expand the water system infrastructure (i.e., wells,
pumps, pipes, etc.). The ALWA has obtained a number of loans over the years
to accommodate housing growth and new Members in our
service area. The Association must pay off existing loans in order
to obtain new loans necessary for further growth in our service area in the
coming years. 4. Depreciation – Depreciation covers wear and tear on fixed
assets including wells, pumps, pipes, etc. (basically all of the hardware
infrastructure used for getting water out of the ground and to a Member’s
property). As the components of the water system wear out over their useful
lifespan, the ALWA must replace them. For
other charges that may appear on your bill, please refer to the current fee schedule. Who Regulates the Association? Question: Does the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission regulate the Ames Lake Water Association? Answer:
No.
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) does not
regulate the Association. For more information on who the UTC regulates, see Section 480-110-255 of the Washington Administrative Code
(WAC). The Board of Directors is
responsible for governance of the Association within the framework of laws
and regulations covering non-profit organizations, public water systems and
water rights granted by the State of Washington. For more information, see
WAC Chapter 246-290. If you are a Member in good
standing, you can
vote for and/or become a candidate for the Board of Directors which
governs the operations of the Association including setting rates and fees. Where Can I Get a Copy of the Association’s By-laws? Question: Where can I get a copy of the Association’s by-laws? Answer:
Click
here to view a copy of
the ALWA’s By-laws. Who Audits the Association? Question: Does the Association hire a Certified Public Accounting firm to audit its books? Answer:
Yes.
Each year, the Board of Directors appoints an independent Certified Public
Accounting firm to audit the Association’s books. Representatives from the independent audit
firm attend the Association’s annual meeting to discuss the audit report and
answer questions from the floor. Click
here to review our
most recent audit reports. Water Rights Question: As a Member of the Association, do I have any specific "water rights" associated with my Membership? Answer: No. Individual Members do not have any water rights per se. The Washington Department of Ecology determines the water rights attributed to the Ames Lake Water Association as a whole. The amount of water rights is fixed by the Department, and it is unlikely that the Association will be able to obtain any additional water rights in the future. It is up to the Association to determine how best to use its water rights on behalf of all its Members. Cross Connections Question: What is a cross connection, and why should I be concerned about it? Answer: A cross connection is defined as any actual or potential physical connection between a public water system or the consumer's water system and any source of non-potable liquid, solid, or gas that could contaminate the potable water supply by backflow. Types of cross connections include, but are not limited to:
Drinking water systems may become polluted or contaminated in the distribution system through uncontrolled cross connections. If you have a cross connection, Ames Lake Water Association requires that you have it inspected and tested annually in accordance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Chapter 246-290-490. For more information on cross connections, please review the following publications from the Washington Department of Health:
Water Quality Question: Who regulates the quality of our water? Answer:
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Health
regulate water quality in our state.
Please see the following documents for more information:
Online Bill Payments Question: Can I use online banking to pay my water bill? Answer: Yes. Many banks and credit unions offer online bill payment as a service to their customers. Simply add Ames Lake Water Association as a payee and be sure to include your account number when you set up the payee information. Our payment mailing address is:
Payment Drop Box Question:
Does
Ames Lake Water Association have a payment drop box at its office in Fall
City? Answer: Yes. There is a
locked drop box outside the Business Office in Fall City. It is painted
black, labeled "drop box" and located at the southwest end of the
parking lot next to the first parking space closest to the road. Please do NOT
put any cash payments in the drop box. Automatic Debit (ACH) Program Question: Does Ames Lake Water Association have an automatic payment program (ACH debits) for paying my bill? Answer: No. Currently, the Association does not offer a payment program to automatically debit your water bill directly from your bank account. As an alternative, please consider using your bank or credit union's online bill payment service. Credit Cards and Debit Cards Question: Can I pay my bill over the phone with a credit card or debit card? Answer: No. Currently, the Association does not accept credit cards or debit cards as payment for water bills. As an alternative, please consider using your bank or credit union's online bill payment service. Rebate Program Question: Does Ames Lake Water Association participate in the "Wash Wise" rebate program (http://washwiserebate.com/participating.html)? Answer: No. Currently, the Association does not participate in this program. Fluoride Question: Does Ames Lake Water Association add fluoride to its water? Answer: No. Currently, the Association does not add fluoride to its water. Water Leak Detection Question: How do I know whether I have a water leak in my home? Answer: You can monitor your water use by reading your meter. Almost all water meters have a built-in low-flow indicator or leak detector. If you look at your meter, there will be a small star-shaped wheel on the face. This little wheel turns when there is water flowing--- even a very small amount. To perform your own test for leaks, turn off all of the following:
If the star-shaped wheel is moving slightly, you may have a leak. Next, you can narrow down where the leak is by turning individual valves on and off. For example, if you turn off a valve to an outdoor irrigation system and the low-flow indicator stops, then you know the leak is downstream from that particular valve. Toilets are often a source of water leaks in the home. An easy way to check whether your toilet is leaking is to place some food coloring in the tank when it is full. Then wait a minute or two and check whether you begin to see colored water in the bowl. If so, then there may be a problem with the toilet. Once you find the possible source of the leak, you will have to decide whether you can repair it yourself or need to call a professional for further assistance. A leaky toilet may waste up to 200 gallons per day. That's approximately 73,000 gallons per year. Finally, consider the following example. You have a single, leaky faucet in your home. It drips 20 times per minute. That's 28,800 drips per day (i.e., 20 drips/minute x 60 minutes/hour x 24 hours/day). In one year, you will lose approximately 925 gallons of water from this one faucet. Estimated Average Water Usage in the Home Question: How much water do I use on average when taking a shower, flushing a toilet, doing laundry or washing the dishes? Answer:
According
to the King County Water Conservation Program, consumers use the following
amounts of water on average in the home:
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© 2008 Ames Lake Water Association
(ALWA). All rights reserved.
Legal Notice | Last
modified:
Ames Lake Water Association (ALWA) is an
equal opportunity organization and does not discriminate in employment or
the provision of utility services on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, political affiliation or
belief.