Letter to new Camillus Customers:
The Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) is pleased to welcome you to the OCWA water system. As you are aware, OCWA assumed operation of the Camillus Consolidated Water District (CCWD) on January 2, 2013 with four former CCWD staff members joining the OCWA team. As a result of the consolidation OCWA has assumed full operations and maintenance responsibilities for the water system serving you. In addition to day to day operations, OCWA is also working on capital improvements related to the systems five storage tanks and five pump stations. Over the course of the next four years the tanks and the pumps stations will be evaluated and the required improvements will be completed.
With respect to day to day operations you will see OCWA personnel throughout the system working on both planned repairs and unplanned water main breaks. While the Authority maintains full time leak detection personnel, our customers are many times our best eyes and ears. Should you come across a possible leak please let us know. To report a leak during normal hours, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. please call 315-455-7061. After hours and on weekends and holidays we can be reached at 315-475-7601 through our answering service which, will contact our on-call staff at all times.
Another component of day to day operation involves you directly. In the coming days and months OCWA customer service personnel will be contacting you to arrange an appointment to change your water meter. In addition to being good practice for both the customer and the water system, meter changes are a permit requirement of the New York State Department of Conservation, which calls for water meters to be changed every 15 years. Further, as many of the CCWD meters are not compatible with OCWA electronic meter reading equipment, the Authority intends to concentrate meter change efforts in the Town of Camillus for an extended period. Please note that these routine meter changes are completed without cost to you as the customer.
OCWA takes great pride in its system and strives to provide excellent service to its customers. Our highly skilled and professional employees coupled with modern technology, equipment and facilities allow OCWA to achieve this goal. With respect to ongoing service to you, OCWA operates a maintenance substation on Hinsdale Road that will enable Authority personnel to respond quickly and efficiently to your needs as new customers.
For many of you, the most noticeable service change will be OCWA’s billing methods. Our rate schedules can be found on our website at www.ocwa.org under the “Pay Your Bill” tab. Please see Rate Schedule 2 (Residential) or Rate Schedule 8 (Commercial). Should you need clarification of the billing process please contact our customer service office at 315-455-7061, extension 3335. Our office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
With respect to OCWA’s billing process, residential and commercial accounts are billed on a quarterly basis. Your first OCWA bill will be sent to you this coming April. Your quarterly billing cycle going forward will see bills rendered quarterly on the 16th of January, April, July and October with payment due no later than the 15th of the following month.
For your convenience OCWA offers several payment options. Bills can be paid in person at our main office; or you can mail your payment by check or money order directly to our office. You may also make a payment online using a credit or debit card and electronic check through our website at www.ocwa.org. OCWA also offers the option of automatic payment by recurring bank draft against your checking or savings account.
Please Note: The service period for your first billing on 4/16/13 will be approximately two weeks longer because of the mid-December reading dates used by Camillus for your final bill and your quarterly usage may appear higher than normal. Finally, please note that unlike the Town of Camillus policy, OCWA will not levy unpaid bills to the tax rolls; accordingly, an account that remains delinquent and unresponsive to collection efforts may be subject to termination of service.
With respect to any questions or concerns regarding your final CCWD water bill please contact the Town of Camillus Town Clerk’s Office in person at 4600 West Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13219, or by phone at 315-488-1234.
If you have any further questions regarding OCWA policies and procedures, please feel free to call Customer Service at 315-455-7061, Extension 3335, or access our web site at www.ocwa.org. Again, In the event of an after hours emergency (nights after 4:30, weekends and holidays), please call 315-475-7601 and our answering service will be able to assist you.
Sincerely,
Paul O’Malley
OCWA Customer Service Manager