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IWSD TO INSTALL BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICES ON ALL RESIDENTIAL WATER METERS
The Immokalee Water & Sewer District has received
funding through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)
through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) to provide backflow prevention devices for all residential properties
in the District.
The District has had a Cross Connection Control
Program in place since September 1995. However, the program previously has only been enforced for commercial customers,
or businesses in Immokalee. This funding has allowed us to expand the program to the residential customers. The District
has hired a contractor, MAJ Contracting, Inc., of Fort Myers, to begin the process of installing backflow prevention devices
on all of the residential water meters in the Immokalee Water & Sewer District.
The purpose of the Cross Connection Control Program
is to provide for the maintenance and operation of a continuing program which will systematically and effectively prevent
the contamination or pollution of IWSD’s water distribution system due to cross connections, as required by the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection.
The installation of the backflow prevention devices
will assist in the protection of the District’s public potable (drinking) water supply from the possibility of contamination
or pollution by isolating actual and/or potential cross-connections in the water distribution system that could create backflow
into the public potable water supply.
They will also promote the elimination and control
of cross-connections (actual or potential) between the District’s potable water system(s), and any other system(s) or
plumbing fixtures.
Please contact our office at (239) 658-3630 if you
have any questions about this program.
IWSD ANNOUNCES
NO RATE INCREASE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR
The Immokalee Water
& Sewer District Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 to review and adopt a budget for the 2009-2010
Fiscal Year, which begins on October 1, 2009. The Board is mindful of the needs of the community, and there will be NO rate
increase scheduled for the next fiscal year. (During last year’s budget meeting, the Board raised rates by 5%,
which went into effect last January.) The District, like many of you, will be tightening its belt, and continuing to
provide our excellent service, with less.
As with most service
oriented businesses, wages and associated benefits was the highest of the District’s operating expenses – amounting
to 38% of our total expenses in 2008. To effectively reduce the Budget, the District has to reduce expenses in these areas.
The District is cutting expenses in many areas, including no cost of living adjustments for the employees, and changes to
work schedules to greatly limit overtime. The District is restricted by state and federal laws which require licensed
operators on site, during specific hours of the day.
The District has looked
at several ways to increase revenues, and reduce expenses. A few years ago, the District began to charge for certain
services, in order to recoup expenses. This helps to ensure that the customer who needs the specific service is the
one who pays for the service, instead of the entire customer base.
Over the last year,
the District implemented the requirement to provide a copy of the lease, or proof of ownership in order to begin services.
Copies of the new lease agreement requirements are available in our office, and on our website. This requirement is to help
control unpaid services and bad debt, which every customer ends up paying for. The District also increased controls on these
account balances, by allowing the deposit to be applied sooner, which again reduces the amounts left in unpaid services. We
apologize to the customers for the inconvenience, as we make these transitions. We want to be able to take care of you,
the first time that you come into the office. It is just as frustrating for our office staff, as it is for you, when
we cannot turn on your water service. We are here to serve.
We ask that our customers continue to have trust in
us, and we thank you for your continued support, of your community water and sewer district, especially during these trying
economic times.
IWSD Board Votes to Require Leases
During
their Regular Board meeting on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, the Board of Commissioners of the Immokalee Water & Sewer
District voted to require proof of ownership, or a copy of the lease from the owner of the property, in order to begin service
with the District. This is an effort
negotiated between a property owner committee and the District, to reduce costs, in the form of unpaid bills. The IWSD account will have to list the people on the lease, so that names cannot be changed on the water
accounts in order to avoid paying past due water and sewer bills.
Effective 10/15/08 - You must
be the property owner or have a lease from the property owner in order to begin water
service.
Efectivo 10/15/08 - Usted debe ser el dueño de la propiedad o tener un contrato de
arrendamiento del dueño de la propiedad para comenzar el servicio de agua.
Click here for Resolution 09-01 - Requiring Leases
The Board also approved Resolution 09-02 that better defines
the District policy with regard to meter tampering.
Click here for Resolution 09-02 Defining Meter Tampering
IWSD Board Votes To Increase Rates
The Board met on August 20, 2008, to review water and sewer rates. The Board voted to increase water and sewer rates,
effective January 1, 2009. The old and new rates are listed on the Rate & Fees web page.
For a residential customer with an average usage of 8,000 gallons, the monthly
water and sewer bill will go from $87.18 to $91.50.
Due Dates and Late Fees for Monthly Utility Bills
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Since Immokalee Water & Sewer District
began charging the $5.00 late fee, in January 2005, we have received a lot of feedback from the customers regarding the due
dates on their bills. They would like a specific date for their bills to be due, each month, so that they can avoid accruing
late fee charges. The drawback is that, if there is a specific date set every month; then this date will inevitably fall on
a weekend, or a holiday, at some point during the year. This means that the bill would have to be paid by the prior business
day, to avoid the charges. However, many of the customers have indicated that they would prefer this, rather than a moving
(non-specific) due date.
Beginning in March 2005, if your account number
begins with a “1”, the regular bill will be due on the 4th of each month. If your account number
begins with a “2”, the regular bill will be due on the 13th of each month; and if your account
number begins with a “3”, the regular bill will be due on the 17th of each month. Anything paid
after these dates will be charged the $5.00 late fee.
Immokalee Water & Sewer District offers many options for paying
your monthly bill. We are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the Drive-through payment window,
behind the office, located at 1020 Sanitation Road, opening 15 minutes earlier. There is also a night drop for after-hour
payments. At each payment window, we also now take Master Card and Visa. For even more convenience, we can arrange for automatic
deduction from your existing checking or savings account on either the 6th or the 18th of the month.
Please call us at 658-3630 for more details.
SMOKE TESTING
The Immokalee Water & Sewer District is smoke testing the sewer systems in various areas
of Immokalee. This smoke will reveal sources of sewer odors as well as places where storm and other surface waters are
entering the sanitary systems. A special, non-toxic smoke is used in these tests. This smoke is manufactured for
this purpose, leaves no residuals or stains and has no effect on plant and animal life. The smoke has a distinctive,
but not unpleasant, odor. Visibility and odor last only a few minutes, where there is adequate ventilation.
Because the plumbing appliances in some houses or buildings are connected to the sanitary sewer system,
some of this smoke could enter a house if the vents connected to the building's sewer pipes are inadequate, defective or improperly
installed; traps under sinks, tubs, basins, showers and other drains are dry, defective, improperly installed or missing;
pipes, connections and seals of the wastewater drain system in and under buildings are damaged, defective, have plugs missing
or are improperly installed.
If traces of the smoke or its odor enter a house or building, it is an indication that gases and
odors from the sewer also may enter. These can be both unpleasant and dangerous as well as a health hazard to the occupants.
Because of the costs associated with treating the storm water, Immokalee Water & Sewer District
is aggressively pursuing ways to reduce the amount of storm water that enters the system. You can help by making sure
that your sewer clean-out cap is properly installed and in good working order. If District personnel discover
an area where the sewer clean-out cap is missing or damaged, a fee will be added to the monthly bill at that address.

FIRE HYDRANT FLUSHING
You may have seen Immokalee Water & Sewer District employees parked near a fire hydrant, with the water running
out, in the last couple of weeks. We call this "flushing the lines" and it is an important part of our maintenance program.
The District water lines are flushed on a quarterly basis to prevent sediment and rust from building up inside the lines.
This buildup can cause discoloration in the water, and result in undesirable tastes and odors. It can also cause a reduction
in the effective diameter of the water line. The water lines are flushed by opening a series of hydrants and flushout
valves and allowing them to flow freely until the water is clear. This can take anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes at
each site. After water lines have been flushed in your area, you may have some discoloration in your water, a yellowish
or brownish color. This is normal, and can be alleviated by allowing the water to run in your faucet for about ten minutes
until it is clear.
| Autoflush Assembly |

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Autoflush devices have been installed in some areas where there is a need for more frequent flushing. This
includes such areas as Village Oaks Elementary, Lake Trafford Marina, and at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Pinellas
Street.
Click here for a demonstration of an autoflush device.
Click here for a link to get Quicktime to view the movie.
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Celebrating Over 30 Years of Service to the Community of Immokalee
Technology & Ecology...A Winning Combination
IWSD is an equal opportunity provider and employer, and a Drugfree Workplace.
(239) 503-0098 - 24 Hour/Emergency - ON CALL - Water
(239) 503-0079 - 24 Hour/Emergency - ON CALL - Wastewater
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