When you build a new house
To make sure that your new house has water, follow these steps:
1. Call the OCWA Engineering Department, 315-455-7061 x 3104. They will determine if OCWA can serve water to your residence. A water service application will be sent to you requesting payment of a connection fee, along with other pertinent information.
2. The connection fee that OCWA charges depends on the size of service. This fee must be paid prior to installation of the service.
3. Using the information you receive from the Engineering Department, install your portion of the service:
- You or your plumber (depending on your local codes) install the pipes from your property line into your house.
- You must provide two shutoffs – one before the meter, one after the meter. A 12-13 inch space must be left for the meter.
- OCWA will tap the water main and install everything needed from the water main to the shut off at the property line.
- OCWA will install the water meter with an appointment set up by you.
4. After your water service account is set up, call our Distribution Office, 315-455-7061 x 3127, four to six weeks in advance of when you expect to move into the house to schedule a time for your service to be installed.
5. When you are about a week away from moving in, call Customer Service, 315-455-7061 x 3335, and let them know you are ready for a meter. They will schedule a time for our installer to come to your house and install the water meter.
We will also install an outside remote device on your house that will enable us to read the meter without entering your house. Normally this is installed near the front of your house and should be easily accessible. We ask that you do not put any bushes or permanent structures in front of this device. The entire installation process takes approximately one-half to three-quarters of an hour.
When you buy a new house
If you are buying a house that has never been occupied, you may find the water has already been turned on. The builder may have connected to the water main to test the plumbing. OCWA has not, however, installed a water meter. You must call us for a meter installation.
In this case, we will need the following information:
- Address of the property (lot number is always helpful in a new tract)
- Name you want the bill in
- A time when someone will be home for the meter to be installed.
When you buy a previously occupied house
If you’re moving into a house that was previously occupied, and you are the owner, call us at 315-455-7061 and speak with a service representative.
Please call before you close on your house! We will check the property to make sure there are no outstanding bills against the property. It’s important to settle any such bills before you take ownership of the property.
We will also make sure that the water meter is read on the day the previous owner is moving out and you are moving in.
We will need the following information when you call:
- Name you want on the water bill
- Mailing address, if different from the property address
- Valid driver’s license number
- Date you are moving in
- Former owner’s name—to help to make it easier to process this information
When you are going to rent a house
When a property is rented, we recommend that the property owner pay the bill and collect the money from the tenant if water is not included as part of the lease.
If the person renting the property is also paying the bill, we require a deposit and a tenant letter signed by the owner and the tenant. The person renting will have to come to OCWA’s office and pay the deposit before the property can be put in the tenant’s name.