WATER BILLING

The mission of the Water Billing Division is to provide billing and inquiry services of the highest quality to the Residents and Businesses of the City of Miramar in an efficient and progressive manner. We are committed to providing these services with integrity, honesty, fairness, and a dedication to excellence while complying with all Utility Billing laws and standards.

The Utility (Water) Billing division serves as a liaison between The City of Miramar’s Utility and Finance departments. Meter readings are conducted monthly by the Utilities department; the reads are then inputted into our database where they are calculated, printed, and mailed. The department also serves as a point of contact for customers who have inquiries regarding their bills and for residents who wish to establish a new account or close-out an account from a property which they have vacated. Inquiries can be made by calling customer service at 954-602-3028, coming in person to one of our two locations, or by sending us an email.

If you are unable to make a payment online, Call CUSTOMER SERVICE RESPONSE CENTER (954) 704-4431

A rate adjustment may be available for filling a swimming pool.
If a customer qualifies, the adjustment will be for 12,000 gallons of sewer charges for in- ground pools and 6,000 gallons of sewer for above-ground pools. A flat rate of $3.20 per thousand gallons is charged for sewer.

The following rules and restrictions apply:

• Request Form must be completed and sent to the Utility (water) Billing Dept.
• Pool must be completely drained and refilled (topping off a pool does not qualify).
• Three adjustments allowed per 12 month period.
• Only properties that are connected to the city sewer line are eligible.

1. Adjustment When Filling Up A Pool

We encourage our customers to read their water meters regularly. Your water meter is read monthly, and your consumption is determined by subtracting the previous month’s reading from the current month’s reading. Water meters are highly accurate and dependable for water consumption evaluation.

You will notice that your residential water meter has only one dial. The dial has a sweep hand which measures water usage in gallons. The meter operates like the odometer in your car. Since the odometer registers in hundreds of gallons you do not record the last two numbers. (The last number is a permanent number and the next dial registers tenths.) The remaining dials register the actual (hundreds and thousands) water used. From there, we then calculate in the thousands. For example, if the water meter shows a reading of 3,859, the bill would be calculated from 3,000 gallons. The hundreds would carry over to the next month. Subtract the previous reading from the new reading and you will know how many thousands of gallons of water you have used. (ie. 5000 (current month read) - 2000 (previous month read) = 3000 gallons

Water leaks can be costly to a homeowner and can create additional wastewater that must be treated at the wastewater, or sewage, treatment plant. Your eyes or ears can easily see or hear some leaks, but the best way to find a leak is to use your home’s water meter.

To check to see if you may have a water leak in your home, inside or outside, first turn off every water-using device. Do not turn off the main water shut off by the meter, because you will need water to run to the various devices in your home to see if they leak. Don’t forget that ice-making refrigerators and water softeners use water. Next, check the low-flow indicator. If it is moving, you have a leak.

To locate a leak, first check all faucets and showerheads to ensure that they are not leaking and be sure to include any outside taps. If no leak is discovered, check under counter tops and sinks to see if there is any moisture and inspect all fittings and valves. Most leaky faucets can be fixed inexpensively by replacing worn washers.
Next, check your toilets for leaks. It is not uncommon to find toilets leaking much more water than the average 22 gallons. Silent toilets leaks can account for up to 300 gallons a day of lost water without anybody noticing the leakage. This size of leak costs over $500 dollars a year and should be repaired immediately.

Turning off the supply valve to each toilet one at a time and checking the meter to see if the low-flow indicator stopped moving can identify the leaky toilet. Another method of checking for toilet leaks is to place dye tablets or 15 drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Wait fifteen to twenty minutes and check the toilet bowl. If there is a color in the bowl, you have a leak from the tank to the bowl. This is fairly common and usually indicates a worn flapper valve, which is inexpensive to repair. Another common leak in a toilet can be water running into the overflow tube. This is easy to fix by gently bending the float arm to lower the water level. Remember when in doubt, check with a professional plumber.

Next check your washing machine, dishwasher, hot water tank, refrigerator and any other water using devices for leaks. Look around the floor for moist areas and check all water connecting valves and fittings. If you are still unable to locate a leak, but your low-flow indicator keeps moving, note your odometer reading and leave everything off for at least two hours and then check to see if the odometer reading changed. After this thorough check, the leak indicator is still moving, it is possibly a leak inside your walls or underground, which could lead to expensive repairs and/or mold and health problems. It is advised to hire a professional plumber.

Adjustments

If you do find a leak on your property the City of Miramar can help alleviate the cost of the wasted sewer by giving one leak adjustment per calendar year for up to three months service, if applicable.
The customer must provide a copy of receipt for the repair. This should include what the problem was and the date of the repair. We will then use an average from the months prior to the problem to calculate the adjusted amount.

• South Florida Water Management District
• Broward County Property Appraiser
• Broward County Water Service (OES)
• Florida Water Conservation
• Green Venture
• American Water Works Association