Show All Answers

1. Who may I contact to get assistance with paying my water bill?

• Caddo Community Action Agency: 318-861-4808
• Socialization Services: 318-671-5800

2. How many meters are read each month by the Department of Water and Sewerage?

Approximately 81,000. The meters are read manually by a Meter Reader.

3. How many water accounts does the Department of Water and Sewerage service?

Approximately 65,000. The amount varies each month depending on how many accounts are set up,

4. How is my monthly water bill calculated?

The monthly water service includes a customer charge and a usage charge. The customer charge will always appear on your water bill regardless of how much or how little water you use. It is the service charge that helps recover the cost of meter reading and maintaining the water distribution and wastewater collection systems. The water usage charge is for the amount of water you use during the month.

The wastewater usage charge for residential customers is based on an average of the amount of water you used during the previous winter months (AWC) or your current month's use, whichever is less.

The wastewater usage charge for non-residential customers is based on your current month's use.

5. What is wastewater?

Wastewater is the used water that goes down the drain in homes and businesses. The wastewater is collected in the City's wastewater collection system and treated at the Lucas or the North Regional Wastewater Plants.

6. What is Average Winter Consumption (AWC) and how is it calculated?

View the Average Winter Consumption page for details.

7. How can I manually monitor my water use?

Reading your water meter(s) regularly helps to identify any changes in your water use over time and can act as a trigger for maintenance. By taking meter readings on a regular basis, you can identify problems in water use without having to call a plumber.

• The best way to find out what the highest water-using device/activity is at your house is to perform a water-use audit.
• You can use a paper log of your meter readings to assist you with monitoring your water use. To help you understand your average daily water use, start off by taking meter readings at the same time each day over a period of one week. If you think your daily water use seems quite high, take more readings throughout the day and compare the differences.

Once you understand your normal water use patterns, change the reading frequency to every two weeks so you can keep a close eye on any intermittent problems which may occasionally pop up.

8. Why is drinking tap water better?

Tap water has it all over bottled water. 

• First, it's significantly cheaper, pennies per gallon as opposed to more than $1 per bottle. 
• Second, tap water undergoes more - and more extension - testing. Tap water is disinfected, filtered to remove pathogens, and tested for E. coli, fecal coliform, bacteria, cryptosporidium, giardia, viruses most synthetic organic chemicals. There is no requirement that bottled water be disinfected or filtered or that it be tested for those elements. 
• Third, less than 30% of water bottles are recycled. The rest end up on roadsides, in landfills, and in our lakes and river. 

It makes sense for financial, health, and environmental reasons to kick the bottle.

9. My blue recycling can has not been picked up. Who do I contact?

• Recycling Customer Service: 1-888-347-7288
• Public Works/Solid Waste: 318-673-6300

10. My green city garbage can has not been picked up. Who do I contact?

Public Works/Solid Waste: 318-673-6300

11. Where do I locate my water usage on my water bill?

On the top left-hand corner, there is a graph that illustrates usage. It shows how much was used this billing cycle, last month's billing cycle, and the usage a year ago.

12. What is the customer service number?

You may contact customer service at 318-673-5510.