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In 2008, the Village of East Aurora developed a new rate structure to better define flat rate water charges and consumption costs. This allows our water customers to see exactly how water charges are allocated on their quarterly bill.
Flat rate charges include the debt that the village incurred to replace water lines in the village; the bulk of the work being for the Main Street water mains. That debt charge equates to $30.32 per quarter. Flat rate charges also include the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the village water department and include costs for equipment, supplies, utilities, insurance, payroll, and billing software costs. The cost here is based on the size of the meter ($26.55 for a 5/8" standard household meter up to $465.75 for an 8" commercial meter).
Consumption costs are determined by the amount of water that you, as a consumer, uses and is also dependent upon what we are charged for water by our supplier, Erie County Water Authority (ECWA). Consumption charges generally increase annually, due to rate increases from ECWA.
The average cost for a 16 oz cup of coffee is $2.70
The average cost for a 16 oz bottled water is $1.50
The Village bills $4.11 per 1,000 gallons of water (that's 128,000 oz of water). How many cups of coffee is that?
Another thought — To know what you pay, per day, for water, divide the total amount of your water bill by 90 days. And then ask yourself, is it worth it?
Water bills are issued quarterly, during the months of March, June, September and December. Bills are due 25 days from the issue date in the net amount. After that date, the gross amount is due and a 10% late fee is assessed. If the bill remains unpaid after 50 days, a service fee of $10.00 is applied and subjects the user to termination of water service. Additional service fees are assessed to the account in the event the account is placed on termination status. Property owners are notified via letter of their account status.
On an annual basis, the Village will relevy any unpaid water bills to the Village Tax bills to be sent out for receipt on June 1st. The relevy is process occurs after collection has ceased for the April billing. After relevy is complete, the Village can no longer accept any payments for the water bills generated during that tax year's fiscal year.
The owner of the property must complete and sign a water account change form whether moving in or out of the property. Any changes to a water account will be accepted in writing only.
Any questions regarding billing should be directed to our billing department at 716-652-6057.
Credit card payments are accepted online. Fees for online payments are applicable.
The Village Hall is open 24/7 and there is a drop box located in the Village Clerk's office door where payments may be deposited. Payments left in the drop box on the weekend following a Friday due date will be accepted without penalty on the following Monday or next business day if it is a holiday.
Also note that if payments are made by mail, the payment must be postmarked no later than the due date in order to avoid penalties. We have found that East Aurora mail sometimes takes an indirect route to Rochester, NY before making it to us and if it is postmarked after the due date, penalties are assessed.
Online check payments made via your bank are not electronically deposited to the Village bank account. Thus, To ensure that water payments are received at the Village office in a timely manner, be sure your online payment is processed at least 7 to 10 days prior to the water bill due date.
Under NYS law, the payment can not be determined by the date on the check or the date the funds are withdrawn from your account. These payments are being mailed by your bank through the US Mail, many times without an official Post Office postmark, and therefore will be recognized in the Village office by the date received if no official postmark appears on envelope. Please be sure either the bill number or the water account number are printed on your check.
In-person payments are accepted at the office during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, except holidays. We enjoy seeing our local residents and are happy to answer any questions you may have.
If you feel your water consumption is high, you might have a leak. To determine this, record the usage on your water meter and note whether it is moving. Then, refrain from using any water for about eight hours (overnight or while everyone is gone during the day) and check the meter again. If the reading has changed, you have a leak.
A toilet is the most common source of an unknown leak. To check it, add a few drops of food coloring to the tank. The food coloring will be evident in the toilet bowl after 30 minutes if there's a leak. Replacing the flapper will usually fix the problem.
Check the pipes under each sink, your washing machine hose and the floor around your water heater; disconnect hoses from outside faucets. If you're unable to identify the source of a leak, contact a plumber.
1,661 - the number of gallons of water wasted in one year by a faucet leaking water at a rate of one drip per second. (source: Energy Star)
Our Department of Public Works is staffed Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM and can be reached at 716-652-6057. If you have a water emergency after hours, please contact our Police Dispatch office at 716-652-1111.