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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