Your bi-monthly water bill is a statement for water service charges covering dates already passed.  Per Washington law, your balance is due upon receipt.  The due date of the 10th of the month is set to accommodate the collection of delinquent charges according to regulations for municipal corporations.

Therefore payment is due on the 10th day of the month following the bill date. Payments not received in the office by the 25th of the month are assessed a 10% late fee.  Penalty Notices are mailed when this charge is incurred.  See the Billing Procedures section of our website to read the full billing policy or call the office at 253-841-9698 if you have any questions about your billing cycle or current balance.

When Valley Water District purchased the original water systems in 1994, money was borrowed for acquisition costs and funds were obtained via Public Works Trust Fund Loans to finance immediate needs to remedy the water systems. In 1998, the District closed on the sale of a bond and paid off loans and bank notes associated with the start-up of the District.

Bonds and Public Works Trust Fund Loan payments are made with monies collected from the Base Rate. Every property with a connection to a District water system is billed equally for the cost of the acquisition and ongoing improvements. Customers of water systems that joined the District after the initial start-up are billed similarly for costs related to the acquisition of their water system.

Beginning January 1, 2019 the District will begin phase out of the acquisition fee for all systems, except The Buttes.  Removal of the acquisition fee is anticipated to be completed by January 1, 2022.    

Valley Water District maintains all water infrastructures up to the meter and does not have any information on the location of water lines on private property. Before you dig, you are required by law to call the local "One Call Center". Call 1-800-424-5555 or visit Call Before You Dig at least two (2) days before you intend to dig.

There are approximately 7.5 gallons in a cubic foot. The 800 cubic feet per billing cycle, that is included in the Base Rate, translates to about 3,000 gallons a month or nearly 100 gallons a day.

The Valley Water District Base Fee portion of the Base Rate includes the first 800 cubic feet of water used in a two-month period. Additional water is billed based on a tier structure (see Billing Procedures). 

800 cubic feet in two-months is not necessarily a standard or expected usage for most households. How much and how often water is used varies from family to family. You need not wait until your billing statement comes to determine the amount of water you use in your home. In fact, we recommend if you are concerned with the amount of water usage appearing on your bill that you rule out the possibility of a leak and then consider ways you might be able to conserve. See How to Read My Water Meter. 

Determining if There is a Leak

• When water is not in use, look at the water meter, it should be still.
• The meter's "leak detector" will help you determine if even the smallest trickle of water is passing through the meter. On your meter the leak detector may look like a black triangle, a silver gear, or a white circle.
• Watch the meter for movement or record the meter reading and recheck after a short time.

 Investigating the Source of a Leak

• A leaky toilet or one that doesn't stop running is a very common contributor to high water usage.
• For outdoor water line breaks, Leak Detection & Locate services can be found in the yellow pages. Remember to Call Before You Dig.

If No Leak is Apparent and you are concerned about high usage, you can:

• Record your own meter readings over a period of time.
• Determine highest usage areas in your home.
• Discuss with your family ways to work together to conserve water.

No. None of the six Valley Water District systems is currently treated with fluoride (except in the event that water is temporarily provided via a City of Tacoma Intertie).