Frequently Asked Questions

Often, when residents receive their bills, they wonder why it is so high.

Residents are billed once each quarter for their water usage.

One thing to keep in mind is that the bill reflects usage for the previous three (3) months. In other words, a bill received in the fall will have summer usage on it. By this time we find that many residents forget how frequently they may have watered over the summer, and are shocked at their bill.

 Irrigation systems are the biggest source of high water bills. An average sprinkler head can use two gallons per minute. If your system has 20 heads, and runs for 20 minutes each day, the result would be 24,000 gallons in a month or 72,000 gallons during a quarterly bill.

One thing that you can do to monitor your watering is to take a reading at the start of a water cycle and again at the end. By performing this check, you will know exactly how much water is being used by your system. Based on this information, you can adjust you watering accordingly.

 There are several options for paying your water bill.

Payments can be made by cash or check written to the “Livingston Community Water Authority” through the Green Oak Charter Township Treasurer’s office located at 10001 Silver Lake Road. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For your convenience, a 24 hour drop box is located at the entrance of the township hall.

Payments can also be mailed for processing.

There are two electronic options.

Residents can pay their bill by credit card through Official Payments, or with permission from the resident; we can debit (ACH) your account for the amount of the bill. Since Official Payments is an outside service, their user fees apply.

We do not charge for using ACH debiting from your account.

You can make additional payments or partial payments on your account using any of the options described above. Be sure to include your account number to ensure correct posting of your payment.

A leak can occur in several different places in your home or business. The following tips will help you determine where the leak could be.

Water Meter

1. Make sure no water is being used indoors or outdoors. Turn off all faucets, shower, washer, irrigation system, etc.

2. Check to see if the small water meter dial is moving by watching the meter for three to four minutes. If it does not move, chances are you have no leaks.

3. Check for slow leaks by reading the meter at night and again in the morning during a period when you have not used any water overnight. If the meter shows usage, you have a leak. If you have a water softener, check on a night when you are not recharging the system.

Toilet

1. Look at the toilet bowl after the tank has stopped filing. If water is running into the bowl, or if you can hear it running, your toilet is leaking. Most toilet leaks happen at the overflow pipe or the plunger ball/flapper valve inside the tank.

Overflow Pipe: 1. Take off the tank lid and flush. The water level should be ½ inch or so below the pipe. If it flows over the edge and down the pipe, you are losing water and need to adjust your float level accordingly.

2. Plunger Ball or Flapper Valve:

Your toilet could have a silent leak. To check, drop a little food coloring in the tank. Do not flush and wait for about ten minutes. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you have a silent leak that can probably be repaired with parts from your local hardware store.

If your toilet is leaking and you cannot get it repaired right away, shut it off at the valve behind the toilet when you are not using it.

Outdoors and Everywhere Else:

1. Check all faucets, shower heads and outside spigots for drips. A slow drip loses 15-20 gallons per day. During winter months, it is recommended that the water supply to outdoor spigots be turned off at the inside valve to prevent frost damage to the pipes.

2. Check for standing water on your basement floor, especially around the water heater, washer, water softener or water meter.