What are the Office Hours?

• Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:20 p.m. except for posted holidays. The Drive-Thru window remains open until 4:30p.m.
  Click here for directions to our office.
  GMWSS has a service worker on call at all times.  If you experience a problem outside of our normal business hours, or on the weekend, please call 863-7816.  You will hear a brief message offering further instructions.  If you are calling to report a serious emergency, please call the Georgetown Police Department at 863-7820 or dial 911.
  To report a spill, please call 911 or 1-800-928-2380.
• For customers turned off due to non-payment of bill:
  If paying after hours, service will be restored the following business day.

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How do I establish new service?

• Property Owners may click here to submit the form online.
  *** After completing this form, applicants MUST bring a valid ID to the GMWSS Administration Office at 1000 W. Main St. within 30 days, or service may be discontinued until ID is validated. ***
• Property owners are not required to pay a deposit to establish new service.  However, if a homeowner becomes delinquent and is scheduled for disconnection 2 times, he or she will be required, at the time of the second disconnection, to pay a security deposit of $75.00.
• If you are renting your home you may not use the online form as you are required to pay a $75.00 security deposit before we can begin service in your name.
• Your deposit will be applied against your final water bill.  Refunds will be sent out approximately two weeks after the final bill.
• Business owners will have the same guidelines, with the exception of the amount of the deposit.  That will be based on the amount of water usage expected by the type of business.
• Some customers will only have sewer and garbage through GMWSS.  These customers will establish water service with Kentucky American Water Company (KAWC) and will also have to come into our office to begin sewer and garbage service.  They will be billed monthly based on the usage sent by KAWC.  Any questions about those readings need to be directed to KAWC at 859-268-6300.

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When is my bill due?

• Depending on your address, your bill will be due either the 5th, 10th, or 15th of each month. We bill a month behind so you will not receive your first water bill until you have been at your residence for at least one full month. Your water bill will be mailed to you approximately 2 weeks before the due date.
• Failure to pay by the due date will result in a 5% penalty being added to your bill. Disconnection notices are mailed out 1 to 2 business days after the due date. Failure to receive this notice does not relinquish responsibility to pay the amount due. Bills that are not paid in full by 4:30 p.m. on the date indicated, on both the bill and the disconnection notice, will be scheduled for disconnection the following morning.
• If payment is placed in our Night Depositor after 4:30 p.m., you are not relinquished from the $30.00 reconnection fee. You must pay the bill in full plus a $30.00 reconnection fee in order to restore service. You must speak with a Customer Service Representative during regular business hours before service can be restored.
• Disconnection due to non-payment is not considered an emergency. Customers that pay only sewer and garbage with GMWSS will be required to pay a $100.00 reconnection fee and the bill in full to restore service. Your service will be restored by a KAWC service worker and may take as long as 24 hours to be restored.
• Water meters are read and bills are mailed to customers each month based on one of the following billing cycles. 
  

  Read Date	Billing Date	Due Date	Penalty Date
  1st - 10th	18th - 22nd	5th	6th
  1st - 10th	21st - 26th	10th	11th
  1st - 10th	28th - 31st	15th	16th
  Note: Disconnect notices are mailed 2 to 4 business days after due date. Service is disconnected 4 to 5 days after mailing of disconnect notice.

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What are my payment options?

• You may pay online using a credit/debit card or electronic check on the GMWSS Portal.
  We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Paypal.
•  You may mail your payment to P.O. Box 640 • Georgetown KY •  40324
• You may make payments with Customer Service at our Administration building. You may pay at the drive-thru window or in the lobby. You may drop your payment in our night depository located just beyond the drive-thru window.  Any payment made during office hours not requiring a receipt should be dropped in our night depository.
• Only Checks or Money Orders (no cash) should be placed in the night depository.
• You may sign up for Automatic Payment Service on the GMWSS Portal.
• You can enroll in Pay by Text (with text confirmations) through the GMWSS Portal.
• You can pay over the phone with a debt or credit card via the automated service anytime by calling 502-863-7816 and following the prompts.

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What about garbage and recycling collection?

• Call GMWSS at 502.863.7816 to start or stop service.
• Questions / comments regarding garbage collection should be directed to Republic Services at 502.209.3800. Georgetown city residents are required, by a city ordinance, to receive garbage collection from the City of Georgetown through Republic Services. 
• Recycling is included in your service but you must request a recycling cart from Republic at 502.209.3800.
• The Georgetown Residential Fee is $16.15 per month (Residential Rate -1 Cart,1 Weekly Pickup) and is collected by GMWSS and remitted to Republic Services.
• The Stamping Ground Residential Fee is $27.75 monthly and is collected by GMWSS and remitted to the City of Stamping Ground.
• GMWSS simply collects these fees for the Cities, which leads to a cost savings for customers.
• Republic Services • Garbage and Recycling FAQ's and Information

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What are the scheduled rates?

Effective Rates: 3/1/23

• Water	$15.78 - First 2,000 gallons (minimum bill) $0.008518 (per 1 Gallon) (anything over minimum)
  Sewer	$14.53 - First 2,000 gallons (minimum bill) $0.009220 (per 1 Gallon) (anything over minimum)
  Utility Tax	3 % of water billed (in dollars)
  Georgetown Garbage	$16.15 per month (Residential Rate -1 Cart,1 Weekly Pickup) $13.48 per month (Residential Rate) - Age 65 & over
  •  Stamping Ground Garbage	$27.75 per month
  Sales Tax	6 % of water and sewer billed (in dollars)
  •  Kentucky River Authority	$0.045 per 1,000 gallons of water
  •  911 Fee	$8 per month per Unit (Click for more info)

Additional Rate Information (click)

More Garbage and Recycling Info

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What are the connection fees?

• Connection Fees - Water
  
• ¾ x 5/8”  meter……………………….$1,750
• 1” meter……………………………….$2,450
• 2” meter……………………………….$5,100
• 3” meter……………………………….$19,300
• 4” meter……………………………….$24,600
• 6” meter……………………………….At Cost
• 8” meter……………………………….At Cost
  
• Connection Fees – Sewer 
  
• Sewer connection fees shall be $1,750 per residential unit.
• Commercial and Industrial sewer connection fees shall be based on the number of equivalent residential units (ERU's) based upon 4,500 gallons per month average usage per residential unit. The sewer connection fee per ERU shall be $1,750.

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What happens when I have a leak?

• You, the customer, are responsible for repairing all leaks, service line breaks, or other problems beyond the service-connection fitting.  If you have a question about responsibility, please call our office.
• GMWSS will adjust your bill if you have a water line break, provided it has been fixed and you can supply proof (i.e. a plumber’s statement) of the repair. 
• You will be allowed one (1) leak adjustment per year and two (2) in a five year period.
  GMWSS will not adjust high bills due to commode leaks.
• GMWSS will adjust the sewer portion of your bill to your average sewer usage if you are watering new construction landscaping or filling a swimming pool.  Only one month’s usage will be adjusted.

• Residential and Non-Residential Customers have separate adjustments requirements.
  • A non-residential customer is defined as any customer other than a single-family residential customer including but not limited to commercial, industrial, governmental, institutional, rental, multifamily residential, and agricultural. If a single-family residential customer uses GMWSS water for the purposes of watering livestock or irrigation, that customer is considered a non-residential customer for this policy.

• Leak Adjustment Policy (Click for full policy)
  • Residential Leak Adjustment Form   
  • Non-Residential Leak Adjustment Form

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How can I locate water or sewer lines?

• State law requires that you must call 811 or the BUD (Before U Dig) Center at 1-800-752-6007
  to have utility lines located.
  
  You may not dig prior to all utilities being marked by their agencies.
  
  

For more information on excavation practices in the Kentucky read the Excavation handbook from 811Kentucky.com. Click here to read handbook.

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How much will I pay each month?

• Average Monthly Usage Rates
• Complete Rate Information (click)

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Is my water meter actually read every month?

• Your meter is read monthly.  The only exceptions to this are extreme weather conditions that prohibit the service workers from accessing your meter or something blocking access to your meter tub (i.e. an automobile parked over your meter tub).

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How can I lower my water bill?

• Take showers instead of baths.
• Turn off water while brushing your teeth.
• Fill the sink with water when shaving rather than letting the water run.
• Avoid watering your lawn during the heat of the day to prevent loss due to evaporation.
• Save dishwater and use it to water your flowers.
• Repair dripping faucets and running toilets immediately.
• Know the location of your shut off valve in case a water line leak occurs.
• Replace old water-wasting toilets with new 1.6 gallon flush toilets.

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Can I pay my bill online?

• You may pay online using a credit/debt card or electronic check with the GMWSS Portal.
• We accept Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.
• You will need your GMWSS account number and Service Address Street Name.
• You must enter the correct billing address for your credit/debit card when making a payment.
• You can also may a one-time payment through the GMWSS Portal without registering.
• Click for more info about the GMWSS Portal from Invoice Cloud.

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I think I was charged multiple time when using the GMWSS Portal!

• If an online payment is declined, it may temporarily show a charge to your bank account.
• Certain banks will debit the requested amount from the account before the transaction is completed. Basically they put a hold on the funds while the process is validated.
• GMWSS only receives payment for the validated transaction; any others are the banks’ responsibility to return to the customer’s account as they were prematurely held.
• It is the specific bank’s policy which determines how and when the electronic transactions are processed; GMWSS has no control over that. Usually within a business day they replace the funds.
• For this reason, it is important that Billing information is entered correctly.
• Additional Information

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How much water will I use doing ordinary things?

• Shower………………………….25-50 Gallons
• Shaving………………………….3-5 Gallons with the tap running
• Dishwasher………………….….15 Gallons
• Clothes Washer……………..….30-60 Gallons
• Hand Washing……………….….2 Gallons with the tap running
• Bath Tub…………………………36 Gallons
• Toilet Flush………………..……..5-7 Gallons

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Can a small leak (such as a toilet leak) increase my bill very much?

• Diameter of Stream		Gallons Used
  	1/16"	74,000
  	1/8"	298,000
  	3/16"	666,000
  	1/4"	1,181,500

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How can I prevent frozen pipes?

• Take these steps before cold weather sets in:
  • Wrap exposed pipes with insulating material.
    Block air passages into crawl spaces and basements.
  • Remove hoses from outside faucets and be sure to fix any leaky outside faucets.
  • Know where your shut-off water valve is located.
    This valve should be used in the event of a burst pipe or significant leak.
• Tips during freezing weather:
  • Make sure that heat reaches your pipes. If your pipes are in a cabinet under the bathroom or kitchen sink, leave the cabinet doors open so heat can get in.
  • Keep a trickle of water running during periods of low usage and particularly on sub-zero nights. The trickle should be a steady stream the size of the lead in a pencil.
• If you have a frozen pipe:
  • Simply wait for the pipe to thaw, if at all possible.
    Never use an open flame to thaw a pipe, since you could start a fire.
  • Call a plumber and get professional help, if all else fails.

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What is the hardness of the water?

• Georgetown's water is very hard. It is an average of 250 ppm or an average of 15 grains.
• More hard water information

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Unregulated Contaminants Sampling

• Our water system has sampled for a series of unregulated contaminants. Unregulated contaminants are those that don't yet have a drinking water standard set by EPA. The purpose of monitoring for these contaminants is to help EPA decide whether the contaminants should have a standard. As our customers, you have a right to know that these data are available. If you are interested in examining the results, please contact our office during normal business hours.

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