Welcome Information for New Customers

History

• The main source of water for our area has been the Big Spring since John McClelland and his party of frontiersman and women built a fortified settlement in 1775. In 1889, Georgetown Water Works Company was incorporated as the first authority to regulate, treat and distribute this spring water for the community. In 1945, the City of Georgetown purchased that company and established the "Municipal Water Works Plant." In 1962, the water and sewer systems were consolidated and Georgetown Municipal Water & Sewer Service was formed.

• GMWSS is a water provider for the communities of Georgetown, Stamping Ground, parts of Sadieville, Midway and Lexington. We have a customer base of over 13,000. We employ 54 people. We have approximately 400 miles of water mains, and we are still growing. Our water treatment facility has the capacity to treat up to four (4) million gallons per day. Tours of the plant can be arranged by calling 502-863-7819.

• We have 5 water storage tanks with a storage capacity of 2,550,000 gallons.

• We have 3 wastewater treatment plants.

• GMWSS conducts 33,000 water quality tests annually and has a 100% compliance with drinking water standards.

Office Hours & 24-Hour Service

• Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:20 p.m., with our drive-thru staying open until 4:30, except for posted holidays.

• 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 have an administrative or billing question, or if your water service has been turned off for non-payment, please call the office during normal business hours.

• If your emergency is water related, press 3 on your key pad.
• To report a sewer problem, press 4 on your key pad.

• 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.

Establishing New Service

• If you are a homeowner, you may come to our administration building located at 1000 W. Main Street and fill out a request for service or go to our website, GMWSS.com and fill out an application online.

• Homeowners are not required to pay a deposit to establish new service. However, if a homeowner becomes delinquent and is scheduled for disconnection 2 consecutive 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 are required to come to our office to sign up for service and 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 American Water Company (AWC) and will also have to come into our office or go to our website GMWSS.com to begin sewer and garbage service. They will be billed monthly based on the usage sent by AWC. Any questions about those readings need to be directed to AWC at 859-268-6300.

Billing

• 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. You may also sign up to have your bill e-mailed to you. Please go to our website, GMWSS.com for details. Failure to pay by the due date will result in a 5% penalty being added to your bill.

• Disconnection notices are mailed out 2 - 4 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. You must pay the bill in full plus a $30.00 service 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 service fee and the bill in full to restore service. Your service will be restored by an AWC 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. The first digit of your account number is the billing cycle

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 1 to 2 business days after due date. Service is disconnected 4 to 5 days after mailing of disconnect notice.
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Payment Methods

• You may pay online using a debit or credit card at our website, GMWSS.com. We accept Visa or MasterCard.

• You may mail your payment to P.O. Box 640 Georgetown KY 40324

• You may pay at the customer service desk at our administration building.

• You may pay at the drive-thru at our administration building.

• You may drop your payment in our night depository located just beyond the drive-thru. Any payment made during office hours not requiring a receipt should be dropped in our night depository.

• You may sign up for Automatic Payment Service that will be deducted from your bank account- - see our customer service representatives for more information.

• Customers paying online using electronic bank checks should allow 5-7 days for these payments to be processed by their bank and mailed to GMWSS.


Online Payments

• GMWSS accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Electronic Check!

• E-Check information
- Please be mindful that by using our E-check feature, your utility account, as well as your checking account, will be updated immediately and funds must be available to cover your payment. In the event of non-sufficient funds in the checking/ savings account you will be responsible for your bank fees and a $25.00 fee charged by GMWSS and possible disconnection.

• Customer credit/debit/banking information is secured.
- The online transaction uses 2048 Bit encryption technology to provide the safest possible environment for your information.

• Customers must enter credit/debit/banking account information each time a payment is made.
- Credit/ Debit Card transactions are validated by a third party source that confirms the account number, expiration date, billing address, and zip code are correct. If so, the amount is deducted from the account and credited to GMWSS and the customer account.
- Account numbers are NOT stored by GMWSS.
- GMWSS does not receive actual account numbers, only the funds deducted from the transaction.

• Credit/Debit Card Company Billing Statement information MUST match what is entered on the payment screen (including any abbreviations), or the transaction will not be processed.- When making a payment, the GMWSS Service Name and Address for the account are listed by default.
- GMWSS Service Name/ Address and Credit Card Company Billing Name/ Address do not have to match; it is the GMWSS account number that determines where the service credit is applied. The Name, Address, and Zip Code are authenticators for the Credit/ Debit Card processing.

• Declined Debit/Credit card payments
- 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.

• If applicable, please configure any spam filters to allow e-mail from ebills@gmwss.com and billpay@gmwss.com. GMWSS is not responsible for blocked or misrouted e-mail bills or receipts.
• E-Bill preferences can be changed at any time using the Modify Account option after logging into Online Account.
• E-Bills contain a link within the e-mail which provides direct access to the login page and automatically includes the customer account number. (More convenient.)
• E-mail addresses are not shared with third parties nor used for any purpose other than to send e-bills and bill pay receipts.

• If you are facing termination of service, payment must be received by 4:30pm on the day before the scheduled termination date to avoid shut-off.

Current Rates

Complete Rate Information (Click)

Connection Fees - Water
• 3/4x 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.

Additional Meters for Landscape Watering
• The customer has the option of paying a connection fee and having a meter installed for watering purposes.
• The bill would include only water usage and no sewer usage.

Leaks and billing adjustments

• 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

Locating Water Lines
• You may call the BUD (Before U Dig) Center by simply dialing 811 for information locating your utility lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much will I pay each month? (Click)
   

• 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.).

• 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.

• How much water will I use doing ordinary things, such as washing clothes or taking a shower?

Shower……………………………25-50 Gallons
Shaving……………………………3-5 Gallons with 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

• Can a small leak (such as a toilet leak) increase my bill very much?
A typical toilet can leak around 2 gallons per minute. If this is not repaired, a toilet can leak up to 3,000 gallons of water a day. A pipe with a small leak can leak from 25,000 gallons to 400,000 gallons of water in one month's time.


Be A Leak Seeker!
Conduct routine leak checks often. If you find a leak, fix it immediately! What appears to be a very small leak can quickly become a very large bill. Below is a chart designed to give you an idea of the amount of water that can be lost from a small stream. The numbers are based on a water pressure of 60 PSI and a continuous leak over one month's time.

Hard Water Tips
    Since 1775, the Royal Spring has been the source of drinking water for Georgetown. Before emerging at the Royal Spring, the water flows underground through limestone layers, where it becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium ions from the limestone. As a result, water from the Royal Spring is considered "extremely hard" and over time will leave hard water buildup on house-hold surfaces.
    GMWSS can successfully remove contaminants and treat water quality issues in water from the Royal Spring before they are a nuisance to our customers, except for hard water. This is because of the large quantity of calcium and magnesium ions in the water and the complex chemistry of either removing or sequestering these ions. The technology to lower hardness during drinking water production of several million gallons per day is currently available, but the cost to purchase and maintain such a system would force all of our customers to endure a rate hike that would be four to five times higher than the current monthly bill.
    Homeowners can use over the counter products to treat hard water buildup, such as Jet Dry or CLR, or homeowners can install a home softening system to eliminate the issues of hard water. But these units are expensive to purchase and require the continuous purchase of rock salt to maintain function, let alone maintenance costs. As an alternative to expensive treatment and chemical additives, GMWSS would like to offer our customers the following techniques and tips to remove hard water buildup in the home:

Hard Water Buildup on Surfaces
    White Vinegar and a Toothbrush -You can use straight white vinegar to loosen and remove the hard water buildup. Pour white vinegar directly on the surface to be cleaned and let set for a minimum of ten minutes, then rinse. On some surfaces, such as tiles, you can use either a toothbrush or any stiff bristle brush and vinegar to soften and remove the hard water buildup.
If possible, remove shower heads and aerators from faucets, then soak in vinegar until hard water deposit is removed.


Tips for Removing Hard Water Buildup in Appliances

    Coffee Makers and Tea Pots - You can pour vinegar directly into your coffee maker water reservoir, and then operate the coffee maker. The hot vinegar will begin to remove the hard water deposits almost immediately. Repeat this process until calcium deposits are no longer found in the coffee carafe. You can pour two cups of vinegar into the tea kettle, bring to a boil and the let simmer for approximately ten minutes. Pour out the vinegar and rinse with water.
Dishwashers and Washing Machines - To clean the interior of your dishwasher and the internal plumbing, add four cups of vinegar to the interior of the dishwasher and then run a short cycle. For your washing machine, pour two cups of vinegar into the bleach dispenser and run the washing machine on a small load setting.

Hot Water Heater

 The following steps to drain and flush a hot water tank apply to both an electric and gas models:
1) Turn off the water supply to the heater.
2) For electric models, turn off the power to the hot water heater at the main circuit breaker or fuse box. For gas models, turn the valve off on the gas supply line to the heater.
3) Attach a garden hose to the drain valve located at the bottom of the hot water heater. Either run the hose outside or to a floor drain.
4) Turn ON a hot water faucet anywhere in your house to allow air pressure to help drain water from the tank.
5) Open the drain valve on the heater and flush the heater tank until the water runs clear.
6) Close the drain valve and turn on the water supply to the hot water tank while leaving the hot water faucet open. When water starts coming out of the faucet, the hot water tank is full.
7) For electric models, turn on the power at the circuit breaker or fuse box. For gas models, turn on the gas supply and follow manufacturer's instructions to relight the hot water heater.

Garbage

• Click the following link for the latest Garbage and Recycling Collection information.

Garbage and Recycling - Georgetown KY - Georgetown Municipal Water and Sewer Service

City of Georgetown 911 Service Fee

Pursuant to City of Georgetown Ordinance 2020-13, and effective December 1, 2020, all occupied units shall be subject to a monthly 911 Service Fee. Multi-unit buildings shall remit this fee for each occupied unit. For example: A four (4) unit apartment building with four (4) occupied units, in January, 2021, shall remit $24.00 per month. Failure to remit the fee(s) required under this Ordinance shall result in a $10/month penalty, per delinquent occupied unit. Any party responsible for payment of the 911 Service Fee who misrepresents his/her/its obligation to remit the Fee shall be guilty of a Class A Misdemeanor. IF MULTIPLE UNITS ARE REPRESENTED ON YOUR MONTHLY GMWSS BILL, PLEASE CONTACT GMWSS IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT THE NUMBER OF OCCUPIED UNITS ON YOUR PROPERTY(IES).

•  Rate Effective July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023: $8.00/month/unit

The revenue generated by this fee will be utilized for expenditures directly attributable to the establishment, operation or maintenance of a public safety answering point, the delivery of 911 emergency services, or the provision of 911 services. For additional information, please visit GMWSS.com/911