A Guide to Paying Your Berkeley County Water Bill Online

Information: Table of Contents:

(All information is subject to change)

Utility Services and Charges

Berkeley County Water and Sanitation: A Self Supporting Public Utility

Our Goal

To provide safe reliable water and sanitation services at a competitive non-profit rate in the spirit of a publicly owned utility.

A major objective of any public utility, such as Berkeley County Water and Sanitation, is to be financially self-supporting. To be financially self-supporting, a utility must recover its costs, in full, through a water, sewer and solid waste charge system. Water and sewer user charges are intended to recover costs associated with operations, maintenance, equipment replacement and local capital construction. Such user charges may generally include monthly service charges, impact fees, construction fees, mailing charges, capacity reservation fees, administrative processing charges, and administrative plan review fees, solid waste disposal, recycling fees and tipping fees.

As a public utility, Berkeley County Water and Sanitation must establish a water and/or sewer user charge system consistent with the policies and regulations of various State and Federal Regulatory Agencies. Those Agencies which have review authority over the BCWS’ user charge system include the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. This legislation requires the adoption and implementation of a system of user charges that:

• Recovers total operating, maintenance and equipment replacement costs;
• Requires the adoption of a financial management system that will accurately account for revenues and expenditures;
• Recovers costs in proportion to use; and
• Advises the public of that portion of their monthly water and sewer bill which is used for treatment costs (58%) and debt service (42%).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the State agency designated by the EPA to oversee the implementation of the Clean Water Act Amendments, has approved the BCWS’ user charge system.

In keeping with the above state objectives and agency requirements, Berkeley County Water and Sanitation has established such a “User Charge” System.

Water

A minimum monthly charge of $8.50 plus a volumetric rate of $4.81 per 1000 gallons used or per part thereof.

Sewer

Residential – $44.00 per month

Commercial – $44.00 per month for the first 7000 gallons; all over 7000 (per 1000 gallons or part thereof – $6.77) (based on water meter reading)

Sewer Flow Meter Rate – $44.00 for the first 6000 gallons flow of domestic waste water discharged or parts thereof and $8.00 for each additional 1,000 gallons flow of domestic waste water discharged or parts thereof.

Mail To:

• P.O. Box 580139, Charlotte, NC 28258-0139
• Berkeley County Water and Sanitation, 212 Oakley Plantation Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461

Pay In Person At:

• Business Office, 212 Oakley Plantation Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
• Goose Creek City Hall, Highway 52 (519 N. Goose Creek Blvd.), Goose Creek, SC
• St. Stephen Town Hall

Drop Box Locations:

• Berkeley County Library in Sangaree, 525 Sangaree Parkway – Summerville
• Business Office, 212 Oakley Plantation Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
• Goose Creek Health Clinic, 106 Westview Blvd., Goose Creek, SC
• Berkeley County Office Building, 223 N. Live Oak Drive, Moncks Corner, SC
• St. Stephen Town Hall at Barry’s Place
• Bonneau Fire Department (right side of fence)
• Goose Creek City Hall, Hwy 52

Automatic Bank Draft: Contact the Customer Service Department for details. Charleston Line, 572-4400; Moncks Corner Line, 761-8817; or St. Stephen Line, 567-2061

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

**Please Note: Goose Creek City Hall and St. Stephen Town Hall do not accept credit cards for BCWS payments. Return to top of page

A charge of 2% of the commercial construction cost of any water and/or sewer system which is to be constructed by a private entity or developer and deeded to BCWS. This fee shall be paid prior to the commencement of construction based upon the estimated cost of construction.

This charge covers the costs associated with unutilized system capacity available to meet future needs. As a new customer receives service, they will pay an impact fee equal to the prorated residential equivalent equity in all treatment, transmissions, and collection facilities. The revenue from the impact fee is allocated to capital improvements for the expansion of capacity related to the above described system components. In this manner a new customer is returning to the existing share previously paid by existing users. Without available unused capacity, new customers could not connect to the system and receive service.

*Water Impact Fee (per Equivalent Residential Unit) $2200.00

*Sewer Impact Fee (per Equivalent Residential Unit) $2850.00

An impact fee must be paid for each commercial unit within any office complex and/or shopping center. Commercial customers should contact our Operations Department to calculate the impact fee which varies by size of structure, number of employees, number of seats, or number of fixtures, etc.

All extensions to serve development of private property within Berkeley County Water and Sanitation water and sewer service areas are financed by private sources. Return to top of page

A countywide sewer connection fee to all users:

• Six inch connection or less: $1200.00
• All other connections: Actual cost of connection plus 15% percent

A countywide water connection fee to all users:

• 3/4 inch connection or less: $1050.00
• Service connection larger than 3/4 inches: Actual cost of connection plus 15%, including the current market price of the appropriate water meter installed in accordance with the provision of the Berkeley County Code

Prior to receiving a Certificate of Occupancy (CO), an inspection is required to ensure the meter box is flush with the finished grade of the landscaping. A twenty-four (24) hour notice is required for inspection.

SEWER SERVICE INSPECTION FEE – $100.00

In most cases sewer collection laterals were “stubbed-in” to the property line when the contractor constructed a collector main. After the property owner connects with the “stubbed-in” sewer lateral and before backfilling the trench for same, BCWS must inspect the building’s sewer connection for proper installation. Twenty-four (24) hours notice is required for inspection of such laterals.

In processing wastewater from industrial and commercial customers, our lab department must perform several functions not required for non-industrial customers. They include:

• Monitoring the wastewater discharge that could potentially discharge either high strength or toxic wastes.
• Billing and collecting for high strength surcharges and monitoring charges.

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It is the homeowner’s responsibility to open the sewer cleanout at his property line and determine when repair service is needed from BCWS. If there is no flow or backup at the sewer cleanout, the blockage is between your structure and the cleanout. In this case, you should call your plumber. If there is a backup at the cleanout, call BCWS and repair crews will respond as quickly as possible.

• Each residential dwelling unit shall be served by a minimum of 4″ diameter line.
• Each commercial unit shall be served by a minimum of 6″ diameter line.
• A maximum of two 4″ services may be tied into a 6″ lateral.
• Wye connections must be made by utilizing a double 4 X 6 Wye.
• Clean-outs must be constructed to ground level and placed every 50 feet for services longer than 100 feet and at any change in the direction of the sewer lateral exceeding 22-1/2 degrees.
• All lines on private property must be constructed by Schedule 40 PVC or Ductile Iron Pipe.
• Should the service lateral not be serviceable, replacement, extension or repair will be accomplished by the applicant.

This non-refundable fee is charged a customer who moves into a location where a connection exists but must have his water meter turned on or where a new service either water or sewer is provided and the account is activated for the customer.

Certain customers served by BCWS only have a temporary demand for water and sewer service. In such cases, property owners may wish to avoid a minimum monthly charge by discontinuing their water and sewer during the “off season.” BCWS however, is still required during the “off season,” to pay fixed costs associated with having a system available for use. Customers who temporarily disconnect must inactivate their service for a period of not less than two (2) months when the house is for sale, the customer is on extended vacation or military assignment. Return to top of page

24 hour notice is needed to turn on water service at a residence with existing service and water can only be turned on Monday thru Friday.

Before water service is turned on, customers must ensure that water heater drains are closed, all interior and exterior water faucets are turned off and all fixtures drains are removed before Berkeley County Water and Sanitation will restore water service. Berkeley County Water and Sanitation will not assume responsibility for any leaks or overflows of sinks, water heater, etc. or any damage resulting from any such leaks or overflows. It is strongly recommended that someone be present at the residence when water is turned on.

These charges related to the late payment processing of a delinquent customer’s water and/or sewer bill and processing of returned checks initially received in payment of accounts, as follows:

• $10.00 relates to BCWS’ cost of processing each delinquent account for which payment has not been received by the due date.
• $30.00 relates to cost for the processing of returned checks or ACH Draft. In addition, personal checks will not be accepted from customers who have had one or more checks returned from the bank during the past twelve (12) months.

There will not be a separate past due notice. If customer has a past due amount on their bill, the bill itself will be their only notification that service is subject to disconnection if the previous balance is not paid in full prior to the given date. The scheduled cutoff date will be noted on the bill.

Water service will be restored on the same work day of payment provided the payment and a $40.00 processing fee is made before 3PM. Return to top of page

Pay Water and Sewer bills online