FAQ Water & Wastewater Services
Q: When are water and sewer bills issued?
A: Flat Rate accounts for Water & Sewer services are billed bi-annually, every 6 months, in April and October. A Metered account is billed quarterly, every January, April, July, and October of every year.
Q: What is the rate?
A: Flat Rate accounts are charged a set amount of $450 per year for combined water and sewer services for 2023. A metered account is based on a consumption charge determined by the volume of water recorded by the meter.
Q: How can I pay my bill?
A: Bill payments can be made in person at Town Hall, 524 Main Street Sussex, by cash, card, or cheque. They can also be made at your financial institute, through online banking, or online through our website by using your account number located on your statement. If full payment is made within 30 days of the issued bill a 5% discount will be deducted from your total charge.
Q: What is my account number?
A: Your account number is unique to your property. The account number is located on the top of the bill. If you need help determining your account number, please call Town Hall Office at (506) 432-4540 and we would be happy to help.
Q: Is there a By-Law to reflect Water & Sewer services and systems?
A: Yes, By-Law 1203-10 A By-Law to regulate water, sanitary, & storm sewer systems.
Q: What is done for preventative maintenance?
A: For Sussex water systems, there is a yearly unidirectional flushing program. The water department performs a 17-day flush of all hydrants to remove any sediment accumulation and to ensure that all valves and hydrants are operating properly. For wastewater systems, there is a preventative maintenance program. Hydraulic sewer jet cleaners are contracted to clean sewer lines. The system operators also respond to blockage stoppage complaints keeping the lines clean and operational.
Q: How are the Sussex water and wastewater systems monitored?
A: By utilizing a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system. The SCADA System supervises 24/7, monitoring all the Water and Wastewater stations gathering data on the process and sending control commands. In case of equipment malfunction, it will broadcast out alarms and allow the operators to respond remotely to troubleshoot problems and make any adjustments needed
Q: Who responds when a repair is needed?
A: The Sussex Water and Wastewater department operates a repair crew. The crew is responsible for repairs to watermains, manholes and sewer mains less than 3 meters deep, as outside contracted help is generally required for repair on deeper sewer mains. The Sussex Water and Wastewater Utility places much emphasis on accountability of its activities and functions throughout the year. To provide this service, inspection / service reports are compiled to maintain a record of all work undertaken from a customer service request. From this data, monthly reports are produced to provide an accounting for various activities.
Water Leaks
A continuous leak through a hole as small as 1.5mm wastes 74,000 gallons of water in just three months! If you hear noises in pipes in your home or property, that you suspect might be caused by water leakage, give us a call! We will be
happy to help determine the cause and
remedy.
Tips to Conserve Water at Home:
- When brushing your teeth, turn off the
water and use short bursts to clean your brush (this will save 80% of the water normally used!) - In the laundry room, be sure to match
water level with the load size. - Check your toilet for leaks by placing a
few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the water in the bowl changes color
without flushing, you have a leak.
Try to do one small thing each day, it will become a habit in no time!
Did you Know?
- You can refill a half-litre water
bottle 1,740 times with tap water
for the same cost as a 99 cent
water bottle at a convenience
store. - On average, each person uses about 100 gallons of water a day, but only drinks about a half gallon. Most of the remainder of water used in North America is for personal hygiene.
Related Links:
For those who wish to explore water and wastewater issues, the following websites may be helpful:
Water in Canada
https://www.canada.ca/en/
environment-climate-change/
services/water-overview.html
American Water Works Association
www.awwa.org
Water Environment Federation
www.wef.org
Water Use It Wisely (For Kids)
https://wateruseitwisely.com/
kids/