Frequently Asked Questions

Questions?

You’ve come to the right place…

We’ve tried our best to put this section together to answer common questions that our customers tend to have. If you’ve got a question, there’s a good chance that the answer can be found right here. Take a look. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, be sure to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help!

How hard is my water?

The natural presence of minerals in water, particularly calcium and magnesium, can cause it to become ‘hard.’ The more minerals there are in the water, the ‘harder’ it will become.
Water with less than 60 parts per million considered to be ‘soft,’ anything between 60 and 120 parts per million is considered ‘medium-hard,’ and anything beyond 120 parts per million is considered ‘hard.’ Water supplied by Grayson County Water has an average hardness of 115 parts per million.

Why does my tap water look milky sometimes?

The milky appearance is actually air bubbles, which are harmless. There are occasions when additional air is introduced into the water lines when we make repairs. Also, in the winter when the outside temperature drops, the water lines get cold and so does the water inside. When that cold water is brought inside your warm house, oxygen in the water is released into the waterline as tiny air bubbles. The air bubbles should disappear quickly, but should you continue to have a problem give us a call.

Are there any contaminants in my drinking water?

Why does my water have a strong smell?

What causes a loss of pressure or flow?

A leak on your lines will cause a loss of both pressure and flow normally. Also, your pressure regulator valve could be not operating properly. If you have checked for a leak, and it appears that you do not have one please contact us so that we can check your regulator. A Water District leak will normally affect everyone in the general area. So it may be useful to check with neighbors to see if they are having similar issues. If you find that to be true, please contact us as soon as possible.

When do you read my meter? I never see anyone at my meter. Do you just estimate the bill?

We read every meter, every month. We read and bill on cycles so we usually read your meter around the same time every month. Thanks to technology we no longer have to get out and manually read each meter. There are only about 700 meters in our system that we have to manually read and the rest are radio read meters which are equipped with technology that allows us just to drive by to get the monthly reading. We still make it a point to get at least 1 manual reading a year off of each meter to make sure everything is in good working condition and accurate.

How do I read my meter?

To read your meter, read the numbers from left to right. The number to the far right is a fixed zero; to find this number look where the needle hand is pointing. Should the odometer be in between numbers, use the lower of the two numbers. The triangle is called the leak indicator. Anytime water is being used this triangle will be moving, even with very low flows. In order to know how many gallons you have used since last reading just subtract the old reading from the new and multiply by 10 to get your total gallons used. Then go use our handy bill calculator to see how much you will owe. Should you have other questions, please contact us.

What do I need to do during a boil water advisory?

A boil water advisory is issued when there is POSSIBLE contamination to the water. At this time there is no evidence that any contamination has gotten into the water supply. However, customers should continue to boil their drinking water until the advisory is lifted. The advisory would typically last no longer than 48hrs from the time it is issued. If you have questions during one of the events, please feel free to call us.

How can I check for a leak?

The easiest and fastest way to check to see if you have a leak, is to go look at the leak indicator on your meter. The leak indicator is the small triangle on the face of your meter. Any time there is water going through your meter the leak indicator will be spinning, regardless of how small the amount is. Make sure all faucets are off and that no water is running before you check the leak indicator. If the leak indicator is spinning you may need to call a plumber.

Why has my bill increased?

The number 1 cause for a higher bill is a toilet. Toilet’s can stick and run or have slow leaks that have them running periodically throughout the day and night. If your bill is slowly increasing the first thing to do is check your toilets. We have toilet dye strips here at our office free of charge that will help you to determine if your toilets are running. Just contact us and we will be happy to assist. There are several other reasons your bill may be higher: increased usage, change in usage habits, leaks, seasonal changes, rate changes.

How can I lower my monthly bill?

Do you adjust for water leaks or filling pools?

How much am I responsible for?

It appears I have a leak at my meter. Am I responsible?

Sometimes with leaks at the meter it can get a little confusing as to who is responsible. A good rule of thumb is that if the leak indicator is spinning that means that water is traveling through the meter onto the customer’s side and that the customer is responsible. If the leak indicator is not spinning make sure to contact us and let us know. Call anytime there is a leak at the meter if you are not sure.