FAQs

You may call the office and we’ll check our records to determine what type of service is listed. Check the pipes in your basement. A lead service is usually a dull gray in color. Lead pipes usually have a ball or bulge in the neck of the pipe. A copper service is shiny like a penny.

View example photos of lead and copper service lines.
In laundry, soak for 15 minutes in solution prepared in proportion of one ounce oxalic acid crystals per gallon of water. Rinse thoroughly with clear water.For sinks and tubs, etc., run sufficient hot water to cover stains. Add two ounces oxalic acid crystals, and swish until dissolved. After allowing to stand 10 minutes, drain and flush thoroughly with clean water.Use “Iron Out”, available at local stores.
The owner of a property needs to notify the Water Department Office of any changes in billing. In the event you are selling your home or buying a new home, we would need to know:
1. The current owners name
2. The new owners name
3. The property address
4. Billing address (if not residing at the property location)
5. The closing date
The Water Department reads meters on a quarterly basis only, we do not reread for property owner changes. Your bill can easily be estimated and credited as part of your closing costs.

I'm filling a pool, how much will it cost?

If you know the volume of the pool, it is easy to estimate the cost to fill it. The following table will give you an example:




I’M FILLING MY POOL, HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

If you know the volume of the pool it is easy to estimate the cost to fill it. The following table will give you an example:

Volume (gallons)	Volume (100's cu. Ft.)	Water Cost	Sewer Cost	Total Cost	Pool Size (4' deep)
3,000	4.0	$16.80	$30.24	$47.04	12'
5,000	6.7	$28.00	$50.40	$78.40	15'
10,000	13.3	$56.00	$100.80	$156.80	21'
15,000	20.0	$84.00	$151.20	$235.20	27'
20,000	26.7	$112.00	$201.60	$313.60	30'
25,000	33.3	$140.00	$252.00	$392.00	33'

or you can calculate the cost for water and sewer at $15.68 per 1000 gallons of volume. Note that the City of Oneida does not allow hydrants to be used to fill pools and no adjustments are permitted on the sewer charges. A normal hose running at full volume can discharge 600 gallons per hour or a 20,000 gallon pool can be filled in under a day and one-half.




Volume	Water Cost	Sewer Cost	Total Cost
5,000 gallons	$24.33	$43.80	$68.13
10,000 gallons	$48.67	$87.60	$136.27
15,000 gallons	$73.00	$131.40	$204.40
20,000 gallons	$97.33	$175.20	$272.53
25,000 gallons	$121.67	$219.00	$340.67

Most generally, a leak is the culprit for excessive water use. Below is a list of things you can do to lower your water/sewer bill and conserve water in the process.
- Check your toilet for leaks. Put a little food coloring into your toilet tank and let it sit for 15 minutes. If the color appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. A leaky toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons of water a day.
- Read your meter, then do not use any water for any purpose. (Possibly do this when you are leaving home for a couple hours to go to the store, movies, etc.) Read your meter when you return, if the meter has moved, then you are using water, and probably have a leak.
- Turn off the faucet. This may sound simple, but many gallons of water are wasted daily while people wash dishes, clean vegetables, shave and brush their teeth.
- Protect your water from winter. Outside faucets should be turned off and drained, and all hoses should be disconnected.
- Do full loads of laundry and dishes.
- Check faucets for leaks. A dripping faucet can waste up to 2,000 gallons of water a year. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. Allowing the faucet to run until the water feels cool wastes water.
If your water is discolored, you should call the Water Department office so we may determine the cause. Below are several reasons why your water could be discolored.
- A fire in the area where hydrants may have been accessed
- A water main break, the line would have to be shut down which causes increased flow in pipes
- Corrosion in an unlined main (cast iron)
- Flushing of the water mains
Certain times of the year the water drawn from the reservoir is very cold and holds more dissolved gases. The water as it enters your home’s plumbing warms some in the pipes, this increase in temperature causes some of the dissolved gas to come out of solution. While still under pressure in the pipes, the gas is in solution until it comes out of your faucet. This water is still safe to use and drink.
In an effort to provide the highest quality of water to our customers the Oneida Water Department performs routine maintenance by flushing the lines. The purpose of flushing is to remove sediment that settles on the bottom of the water mains. Significant water force is needed when flushing, and this is achieved by opening certain fire hydrants and closing valves in the street. The flushing is normally done in the fall, starting the second week in September. Flushing takes approximately three weeks to complete.