General Information

 

HOURS OF OPERATION: The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.  The phone number during  normal business hours is 910-455-3743.  After normal business hours and on holidays and weekends, water and sewer emergencies can be handled by calling 910-455-3743.  An answering service handles after hours phone calls, and will relay the problem to the person on call.

 

DEPOSITS/NEW SERVICE: The deposit for a customer with no previous history is $50.00 and must be paid by certified funds only: Bank Cashier's Check, Money Order, or Credit Card (MasterCard, VISA, or Discover).  The deposit for a customer with previous usage and payment history, either requesting reconnection or a new connection, is 2/12 of the total estimated utility charge for the ensuing 12 months, based on previous history.  Deposits will not be waived and letters of credit are not accepted.  Deposits will automatically be refunded with interest (8% per annum) as a credit on the customer’s account if the following criteria are applicable: no more than 2 late payments for the ensuing twelve months, no disconnects for nonpayment, and no returned checks.  Accounts closed before the twelve-month period will have the final bill calculated and deducted from the deposit and any accrued interest and mailed to a forwarding address or the last known address.  Customers relocating within the service area cannot transfer their deposit.  A new deposit must be established for the new address.  For customers that are renting a property, a copy of the Property Management Company’s lease agreement showing the name of the prospective customer as lessee is required in order to establish an account. If the lease is NOT through a Real Estate Property Management Company, then a private lease will be accepted with notarized signatures from all parties.  The account will be established in lessee’s name only.  In addition, a driver’s license or state issued I.D. card is required, and either a military I.D. card or one other form of ID is required. The lessee may add a spouse as an authorized user on the account, only if the spouse is listed on the lease agreement.  The spouse must provide a driver’s license or a state issued I.D. card and either a military I.D. card or a social security card.   For customers that are buying a property, a copy of the purchase agreement or settlement papers is necessary in order to establish the account in that name.  In addition, a driver’s license or a state issued I.D. card and either a military I.D. card or one other form of ID is required. The homeowner may add a spouse as an authorized user on the account, if the spouse is listed on the settlement papers.  The spouse must provide a driver’s license or a state issued I.D. card, and either a military I.D. card or a social security card.  Connections are performed Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Connections are not performed on weekends or holidays. Customer will create a 4-digit pin to identify themselves when requesting account information by phone.

 

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY WHEN THE COMPANY TURNS ON THE WATER:  The Company turns the water on at the meter when a customer requests a service connection.  It is the Customer’s responsibility to make sure that the washer hookup and all water faucets (located inside and outside of the house or building) have been turned off before the Company turns on the water at the meter.  The Company is not responsible for damages from flooding that may occur due to any faucets and/or washer hookups being left on at the time the water is turned on at the meter. Same day water service is available as long as the request is made prior to 3:00 p.m. on the day that the service is requested.  All customer information must be provided and the deposit must be paid, as well.

 

DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE: Request for permanent discontinuance of service must be received in the office before 3:00 p.m. on the day of the requested cut off date.  If discontinuance is requested by telephone, the customer or authorized user must identify the drivers license number, the state ID card number on file, and/or the 4-digit pin number.  If the social security number and driver’s license number cannot be furnished, the customer or authorized user may come into the office and present identification to request the discontinuance of services.

 

FINAL BILLING: A final bill will be rendered upon customer request when a permanent discontinuance of service is ordered.  The final bill will be mailed to the address provided by the customer, or the last known address.  A final bill may also be generated without customer request for discontinuance of service when an account has not been paid after two months of billing.  The final bill will be mailed to the last known address.

 

BILLING POLICY:  Billing is performed monthly for service in arrears.  Meters are read at the end of each month and billing for water and sewer service is mailed out on or before the 10^th of the next month (Example: Meters are read at the end of August for August water/sewer billing.  Bills will be mailed out on or before September 10^th for August billing). The billing statements are white paper with blue lettering. 

Payment in full is due on the 25^th of each month.  The due date is printed on the front of the bill.  Failure to receive a water/sewer bill does not relieve the customer from responsibility for payment.  If a bill has not been delivered by the postal service by the 15^th of the month, please call the office and request a duplicate bill. The company does not know that a bill has not been delivered by the postal system if you do not inform the office.

Payments are processed during the normal business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Payments that are placed in the drop box will be processed on the next business day.

DISCONNECTION OF SERVICES FOR NONPAYMENT:   Bills that remain unpaid after the 25^th of the month will be mailed a reminder in the form of a “Final Notice” on the next business day.  The billing statement for a final notice is white paper with red lettering.  The final notice provides seven days to pay the past due balance.  The “Final Notice” due date appears on the front of the bill.

If a bill remains unpaid by the close of business on the “Final Notice” due date, then it is considered delinquent, a $14.36 suspension fee is charged to the account, and the water is subject to disconnection at that time.  The charge is to offset the costs of special handling of delinquent accounts including, but not limited to, the disconnection and reconnection of service due to non-payment.  The balance in full must be paid before services will be restored.  The office will be open one hour later on the day that disconnections are performed (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).  The Company does not have “After Hours” restoration service available.  Services that are off for nonpayment of the bill are not considered an “Emergency.”

Since payments are processed Monday through Friday during the normal business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., any payments that are placed in the drop box after 5:00 p.m. on the “Final Notice” due date will not be processed until the next business day.  It is the Customer’s responsibility to make sure that payment in full is received on or before 5:00pm on the “Final Notice” due date to ensure that the suspension fee is not charged to the account and that disconnection of service does not occur.

 

PAYMENTS: Payments may be made online via Paypal with an additional $3.00 Fee. For your convenience, click this link to Make Payment Online. Other payment options include Mailing payments to Scientific Water & Sewage, Inc., 112 Scientific Lane, Jacksonville, NC  28540.  Counter service is available during the working hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Payments can also be made after hours in the “after hours” depository which is located on the front door. Payments that are submitted online after 5:00pm and/or placed in the office drop box after hours will be posted to your account the next business day.

Cash, money orders, checks, MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted as payment. To ensure proper credit, your Account # must be entered exactly as it appears on your billing statement when mailing your payment or paying online.

Checks are to be made payable to “Scientific Water & Sewer”.  Please include billing stub or account number to insure proper credit. Checks cannot be used as a form of payment unless a State I.D. card or a State issued Drivers License is on file.

A $3.00 credit card convenience fee is charged to a customer’s account to process a telephone payment or online payment by credit card. A $3.00 convenience fee is charged for each card transaction. If a credit card is declined, the fee remains. If the customer requests that the declined card should be processed again, another convenience fee is charged. If the customer chooses to use a different credit card should the first one be declined, there is a $3.00 convenience fee.

There is no fee charged for a face-to-face credit card transaction at our office.

The Company does not keep credit card numbers or related information on file. The customer must provide this information each time they call to process a payment by credit card over the telephone. The customer must provide the following information in order to process a payment: the account number or address needing payment, the credit card type and number, the expiration date, the three-digit security code on the back of the credit card, the street number and zip code of the current billing address for the credit card, and the name as it appears on the card. The credit card terminal prompts this information as part of the process, and the transaction may be declined or not allowed by the financial institution, if any of this information is not exact.

 

FINANCE CHARGES FOR LATE PAYMENTS: 1% per month will be applied to the unpaid balance of bills that remain unpaid twenty-five days after the monthly billing date.

 

RETURNED CHECKS: Customers are notified by mail of returned checks and have five (5) working days (not Sundays or Holidays) from notification to pay in full.  Checks that are returned for any reason are charged a $25.00 service fee plus a $9.00 bank fee for each item.  Utility services are suspended for a check not paid within the five-day period.  Should this occur, a reconnection fee is charged to the account.  Checks that remain unpaid after fifteen days will be turned over to the Magistrate’s Office for recovery. Services will be disconnected immediately upon receipt of a check written on a closed account, an account that cannot be located, or an account that has been suspended.  Only cash, money orders, bank cashier’s check or credit cards will be accepted as payment for a returned check.  If more than two returned checks are received from a customer in a twelve-month period, then they will no longer be able to pay their bill by check.  Cash, money order, or credit card must pay the account.

 

RECONNECTION CHARGE DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS:

If water service is cut off by utility for good cause-$14.36

If water service is discontinued at customer’s request-$14.36

 

RECONNECTION CHARGE AFTER NORMAL WORKING HOURS, AND ON SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND HOLIDAYS:

If water service is cut off by utility for good cause-$28.72

 

RECONNECTION CHARGE FOR SEWER-ONLY CUSTOMERS:

If sewer service is disconnected by the utility for good cause, the reconnection fee is “Actual Cost” The customer must pay all delinquent bills to avoid disconnection, or to initiate a reconnection.  Prior to physically disconnecting sewer service, a written statement of the estimated “Actual Cost” of disconnection, plus reconnection of the sewer collection lines will be delivered or mailed to the customer with the Cut-off Notice. In addition a new deposit may have to be established.

 

RATES: The Lauradale Subdivision receives water produced from Scientific’s wells.  The water is groundwater, which draws from the Castle Hayne aquifer.  Aquifers are like underground streams.  The base charge per month for zero usage is $8.23.  The usage charge per 1,000 gallons is $2.66. 

The subdivisions of Cedar Creek, Raintree, Deerfield, and Summersill receive water purchased from the Onslow County Water Department for resale by Scientific.   The water source is groundwater, which comes from wells that draw from the Castle Hayne and Black Creek aquifers. The base charge per month for zero usage is $13.11.  The usage charge per 1,000 gallons is $4.50.

The sewer charge for residential customers is a flat monthly rate of $28.80.  The sewer charge is not based on water consumption.  The sewer charge for commercial customers is a base charge of $14.61, and then $2.77 per 1000 gallons of water used.  Commercial sewer customer’s rates are based on water consumption.

 

WATER LEAKS: Should there be a water leak on the service line between the house and the water meter, it is the customer’s responsibility to make repairs, and the repairs should only be made by the customer or a state licensed plumber.  A leak at the meter is the Company’s responsibility except at the point where the customer’s line ties into the meter setter, and that is the customer’s responsibility.  Should there be a leak on the line between the meter and the street, it is the Company’s responsibility and Company crews will repair it.  If the meter box fills with water, please notify us and we will check to see if there is a leak and whose responsibility it is to repair.  An information sheet revealing how to detect leaks is attached.  Monetary adjustments to the water bill are not given for leaks that are the customer’s responsibility to repair.

 

SEWER PROBLEMS: The Company maintains the main sewer lines and manholes located in the middle of the street.  The installation and maintenance of the sewer cleanout is the customer’s responsibility.  The customer is responsible for the service line from their house to the main.  A blockage in the customer’s sewer line due to grease buildup, something flushed down the toilets, roots in the sewer line, etc…is the customer’s responsibility to repair.  If a sewer problem develops, the Company should be called first so that the Company lines can be checked and perhaps prevent an unnecessary plumbing bill for the customer.

 

WATER OUTAGES: Unfortunately there are times when situations arise causing an interruption in water service.  The Company will try to give prior notification whenever possible.  Please try to be understanding and patient during these kinds of situations

 

TURNING WATER ON OR OFF, DISCONNECTING METER, ETC., WITHOUT AUTHORITY: No plumber, owner, or other unauthorized person shall turn the water on or off except in case of emergency at any corporation stop or curb stop, or disconnect or remove the meter without the consent of the utility.  If the water is turned on or off, or a meter disconnected due to an emergency situation, the Company must be notified by phone that this has been done the same day that it is done. Customers who tamper with the meter maybe charged a meter tampering fee. Account holder will be responsible for labor and materials for repair of damages cause by meter tampering.

Meter tampering is a crime and violators will be prosecuted.

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UPDATED February 2016