Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan County code requires fire hydrants provide 500 GPM (gallons per minute) of flow without diminishing water pressure below 20 PSI. EWUA has over 120 fire hydrants that meet or exceed this standard. EWUA has color coded our fire hydrants to indicate flow rates.

Yes, EWUA has adequate capacity to meet our existing membership commitments and has the water rights and plans to provide for the future needs of our service area.

NO, EWUA does not sell bulk water to water haulers, contractors, or non-members.

Instructions for reading your meter are on the Meter Reading page. Also take a look at EyeOnWater to monitor your water usage.

It is best to call EWUA at 360-376-2127 to assist with this process. We will help you with the following process:

1. Determine if your property is in the EWUA service area.
2. Determine if an existing EWUA water main abuts your property, or if a main extension is required.
3. Secure an EWUA membership.
4. Request a “Hook Up”, and go through the hydraulic evaluation process to properly size and plan your service. (Hook up fee is due at this stage.)
5. EWUA staff complete the hook up and have a contractor bring your new water line to your development.

To comply with Washington’s Growth Management Act, San Juan County asked EWUA to develop the capacity to serve the future growth planned in Eastsound. EWUA agreed to do so, on the condition that the growth in Eastsound would actually purchase and use the capacity the water system would develop. This was important to protecting our existing members from funding capacity development for others.

NO, EWUA does not fluoridate the water. EWUA believes that individuals should determine if and how they consume fluoride.

Approximately half of EWUA’s water comes from Purdue Lake. The Washington Department of Health requires that all water systems with “surface water” sources maintain a chlorine residual in their distribution system.

You can let the chlorine evaporate from a container of water by letting it sit on the counter for a few hours, or you can use a “charcoal filter”. Filters are available as “point of use” or “whole house” options. EWUA also has a “filtered water” tap at our office office hours. This system removes the chlorine, and we GIVE THE WATER AWAY.

EWUA has a variety of sources which vary in hardness. EWUA’s water is commonly found to be moderately hard (60–100 mg/l or ppm) (3.5–6.0 grains/gal).

No.

EWUA Billing Cycle

 

• Non-Residential Members (Commercial Accounts) are Billed Monthly

Typical Billing Schedule

• June 20 — Meters read
• June 30 — Bill sent to members
• July 20 — Payment due for June bill

Residential and Multi-Unit Members are Billed Quarterly

• Accounts Beginning with 01, 02, 03 — Billed Feb 28, May 30, Aug 30, Nov 30
• Accounts Beginning with 04, 05, 06 — Billed Jan 30, April 30, July 30, Oct 30
• Accounts Beginning with 07, 08, 09 —Billed March 30, June 30, Sept 30, Dec 30.
• Payment due 20th of the month. (Example: Payment of May 30 bill is due June 20)

 

EWUA accepts cash, checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks at our office. The office also has a secure mail slot in the front door.

 

EWUA also has a “Payment Drop Box” at the Office Cupboard in the Eastsound Post Office Building on A Street. (We recommend you do not place cash in the drop box.)

EWUA offers “ACH BANK DRAFT”, through which we will draft your payment from a bank account AFTER sending you an invoice. No member action is required. (Download an ACH Registration Form.)

EWUA also accepts credit cards via our website. The credit card processing system charges 3% (with a $3.25 min.) for their service. Go to our Billing & Payments payment page for more information.

The “normal” residential water bill is $47/mo, which is billed quarterly, therefore the bill is for $141. Billing is dependent a memberships on ERU’s (Equivalent Residential Units). Most single family homes have 1.0 ERU.

YES. EWUA can send ebills to multiple addresses, including a copy to a tenant. We strongly recommend that property owners also receive their bill via ebill, as the property owner is ultimately responsible for all water service charges. Getting a copy of the bill insures that you know your renter is paying in a timely fashion. EWUA does not send duplicate bills via U.S. Mail, only via eBilling.

This may be an indication you have a leak. EWUA provides some leak detection assistance on our Water Leaks page. EWUA also has a limited Catastrophic Leak Relief policy. Members may also request a payment plan to help manage large bills.

EWUA does not recommend members shut off their water meter themselves. The water meter and its shut-off valve belong to EWUA. This is because folks have occasionally shut off the wrong meter, adversely impacting a neighbor’s service. Your home should have its own shut-off valve. If you would like EWUA to shut off your service, contact our office at 360-376-2127.

You can email a change of address via our Contact page or call our office at 360-376-2127.

EWUA normally sends a “past due friendly reminder” after 10 days of billing delinquency. A delinquency penalty is added to accounts that are 30 days late. A shut-off notice is sent via certified mail after 60 days delinquency. Service is shut off 10 days after the certified notice is sent.

 

EWUA members can avoid shut off and late fees by contacting our staff and arranging a payment plan if needed.

The demarcation between water system and individual responsibility is the water meter setter. The water meter setter is the end of EWUA’s infrastructure and responsibility. The service lines beyond the water meter (from the water meter to your house) is the property owner’s responsibility.

Board meetings are typically held on the third Tuesday of the month, starting at 5pm. They are held at the EWUA offices: 286 Enchanted Forest Road. Meetings are open to EWUA members. The Board asks members to notify staff of their plans to attend so that time on the agenda can be allocated. Members are also encouraged to submit a written description of their interests in advance of the meeting.

286 Enchanted Forest Road
Suite B102
Eastsound WA 98245

TEL: 360-376-2127
FAX: 360-376-3650

See map in the footer below for directions.