Customer Service FAQs

Billing FAQs

Conservation FAQs

Water Quality FAQs

External Resources

 

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Customer Service FAQs

Call the Customer Service Team at (866) 357-8783 to speak to one of our representatives. They will send you forms that will include a New Service Application and Cross Connection Form. If you prefer to download a fillable PDF of the Application Packet, please click here.

Our field technicians are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us at (866) 357-8783. After 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, calls are relayed to our field technicians from a third-party call center.

Thurston PUD is responsible for the water system on the PUD's side of the meter. Customers are responsible for maintaining the plumbing on their side of the meter.

Call our Customer Service Team at (866) 357-8783 to stop service.

The water you receive from Thurston PUD is safe fo human consumption. However, your water may contain chlorine or chloramine which can harm animals that live in water, such as fish, reptiles, amphibians, and shellfish. Unlike land-dwelling creatures, these animals don't have a digestive process that neutralizes chloramine and chlorine before it reaches their bloodstream, so putting them in untreated tap water may be harmful - even fatal.

What can you do to protect your pets? Follow these steps.

  1. See if your water contains chlorine and chloramine. You can find this information in the water quality report for your water system.

  2. If your water contains chlorine: chlorine evaporates quickly so the easiest method of removing it from water is to put it in an open container and let it sit still for a couple of days. Alternately, chlorine may be eliminated from water by boiling it or adding salts.

  3. If your water contains chloramine: there are two methods for eliminating chlorimine from water. You can either purchase a granular-activated carbon-filtration system specifically designed to remove chloramine, or you can use a conditioner or additive containg a dechlorinating chemical for both ammonia and chlorine.

  4. Products for removing chlorine and chloramine, as well as kits to test your water for chloramine, are available at many pet and aquarium supply stores. These stores may also be a good resource for information on care for your pets.

Reading your water meter will tell you how much water you're using and whether you have a leak. Most meters are located near the curb in front of your home under a concrete lid. Thurston PUD uses 100 cubic feet (or one ccf) of water as a billing unit, so you should monitor your water usage using these units, as described below.

  1. Read and record the figures shown in white on the image above. Subtract your last reading from this reading to determine your usage. To determine your usage in hundred cubic feet (or ccf), divide this number by 100. To determine your usage in gallons, multiply the usage by 7.48 instead.

  2. To check for leaks, observe the large sweet or test hand for at least 15 minutes with all water connections at your home shut off (e.g. faucets, dishwashers, outside hose bibs, etc.). If there is any movement, a leak may be present at your residence. Alternately, if you cannot detect movement on the dial, record the meter read and return to your meter after a specific length of time (e.g. thirty minutes to several hours) - be sure that no water is being used at your property! After returning to your meter, compare the meter read to the one you previously recorded; if the reads are different, you may have a leak.

  3. To effectively monitor your usage, we suggest you read your meter daily or weekly.

Freezing weather may bring discomforts, but one of them, frozen water pipes, can be avoided with a little planning and a few simple steps. When frigid arctic air hits, water freezes, and as it freezes it expands - causing pipes to burst and possible flooding to occur.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, such as outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas such as basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing. 

There are several things that people can do to prepare for freezing weather, and there is one important thing everyone needs to know: Determine where the water shut-off valve is in the house and how to use it in case pipes freeze and break. 

Before the onset of cold weather, prevent freezing of water supply lines:

During cold weather, take preventative action:

How to thaw a frozen pipe safely:

We occasionally receive reports that scammers pretending to represent Thurston PUD are targeting customers by phone, by email, or in person. The information below will help you identify and avoid some common scams.

Phone Scams

Scammers may target customers by phone and demand that they make an immediate payment to avoid their service being shut off. These calls are an attempt to defraud by either obtaining credit card information or arranging for a fraudulent payment to be made. Thurston PUD does not call our customers and demand payment by phone, bank transfer, or other specific payment method.

If you receive a call that sounds suspicious or is about an unpaid bill that you do not believe you owe, hang up the phone and call our Customer Service Team. You can reach Customer Service at (866) 357-8783 or you can email us at PUDCustomerService@ThurstonPUD.org. Our Customer Service Team is available 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you receive a questionable call:

Email Scams

Scammers may target customers by email and demand that they make an immediate payment to avoid their service being shut off. These emails are an attempt to obtain credit card information, arrange for a fraudulent payment to be made, or trick the customer into visiting a malicious website that may infect their computer with a virus or other malicious code. Thurston PUD does not email our customers and demand payment by a specific payment method.

Scammers may also send emails that appear to be from a utility company but contain an attachment that will attempt to install malicious code on your computer if opened.

If you receive an email that seems suspicious, has an unexpected attachment, or is about an unpaid bill that you do not believe you owe, do not reply to the email, click any links in it, nor open any attachments. Instead, call us.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you received a suspicious email:

In-Person Scams

Scammers may pretend to be Thurston PUD employees and visit your home or business in an attempt to obtain credit card information, arrange for a fraudulent payment to be made, convince you to pay for an unneeded service, or gain access to your premises. Thurston PUD will never ask you to make payment to a specific person or at a specific location, and our employees will not visit your home to collect payment.

Remain vigilant if you are approached by someone seeking payment ofr your water bill or asking to inspect your water system. If you are ever unsure about someone claiming to be a Thurston PUD employee, please do not let him or her into your home, arrange any kind of payment, or provide banking information. Instead, call us for verification at (866) 357-8783.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you are approached by someone who claims to work for Thurston PUD:

Useful links:

Cellular (or cell) meters do not transmit or store personal information. The read and usage data that is transmitted is encrypted.

When you plan on moving and you want a final bill through your last day, call our Customer Service Team at (866) 357-8783. It is necessary to notify us at least seven days in advance to coordinate the final meter read for your account. Thurston PUD reserves the right to perform a final meter read within one week of your final date or notification, if we are notified after your move-out date. Please have a forwarding address available for your final bill.

 

Billing FAQs

Thurston PUD Customer Service understands the need to provide convenient, cost-effective payment methods and services for our customers. We have a number of payment options available to our customer for paying your monthly bill.

Online Payment Portal

Customer who sign up for our online payment portal can:

Visit the payment portal by visiting www.ThurstonPUD.org and click on the "Pay Bill" link at the top of the webpage.

Thurston PUD will never charge a transaction fee for online payments and is not affiliated with any third party payment sites like DOXO.

Auto Pay or Direct Debit Payments

Thurston PUD recommends automatic payments like those offered through our Auto Pay or Direct Debit payment services.

Auto Pay is offered through the PUD's online payment portal - customers can sign up for this service through our online payment portal.

The PUD's Direct Debit automatic withdrawal service is offered for customers who want to pay using their bank account information.

If you need any help in setting up an automatic payment method offered by the PUD, please call our Customer Service Team at (866) 357-8783. There are no fees to pay by Auto Pay or Direct Debit.

Phone Payments

To make a payment by phone, call us at (866) 357-8783 and press 1 to be transferred to our automated payment system. We can accept Visa, MasterCard, or e-check payments by phone. There are no fees to pay by phone.

Drop Box Payments

A drop box is available at PUD Headquarters, located at 1230 Ruddell Road SE, Lacey, WA 98503. We ask that you refrain from leaving cash payments in the drop box. Payments left in the drop box are processed each business day.

Bank Payments via Bill Payer Services

We also accept payment from bill payer services, such as those offered by your bank. Please be sure when you sign up for your bill payer service to include your correct account number. This will ensure that your payment is correctly applied to your account each month. If you are using a bill payer service through your bank, you are also eligible to receive your bill by email each month.

To begin paperless billing, contact us and let us know that you are using a bill payer service. Include your name, address, and account number, and we will email you when your account has been updated. Please add an additional 1-5 days for your bank to process.

Customers may send payments in the mail, pay in-person at our Customer Service Centers, sign up for the Auto Pay or Direct Debit automatic payment service, drop payments at designated pay stations and night boxes, or call Thurston PUD to pay by phone.

If you have an unusually high Thurston PUD bill, you can conduct a water audit to determine where the problem may be. To perform an audit, check the following: 

  1. Is the dial on your water meter moving?

  2. Are there any dripping faucents? Thirty drips per minute adds up to approximately 15 gallons per day.

  3. Do you have a leaking toilet?

  4. Is there a leaking irrigation valve?

  5. Do you have an sprinkler system? If so, is is on a timer? Is the timer operating correctly?

  6. Were you gone for any number of days during the month in question? If so, did somebody take care of your plants or animas for your?

  7. Do you have a water softener? Is it the recycling type? Is it operating correctly?

  8. Do you have an under-the-sink filter systeM/ Is it operating correctly?

  9. Does the handle on your toilet have to be jiggled to make the water stop running?

  10. Do you have a hot tub or a pool? If so, have you adjusted the float arm lately?

  11. Is there a recycling hot water unit? Is it operating correctly?

  12. Are there any wet spots on the lawn or inside the home on the walls, ceilings, etc.?

  13. If you are a commercial customer (restaurant, convenience store, etc.), do you have a purifying water machine, "serve yourself" machine, or soft drink machine that might need repair or have experience unusually high usage.

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you may have found the source of your unusual water usage. Investigate further.

Check for Hidden Leaks

Make sure that water is not slipping away due to undetected leaks in your system. To check for household leaks, turn off the water inside and outside your home. Observe the test hand (depicted at right in blue); if it moves, there is water pushing through the meter, indicating a leak. To locate a leak, try: 

Do You Have a Leaking Toilet?

The most common culprit for indoor leaks is the toilet. To find out if your toilet leaks, listen for the sound of running water. You can also place a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Don't flush the toilet. If the coloring is seen in the bowl, the toilet is leaking. 

Once I've repaired household leaks, what other steps can I take to save money on my bill? There are many things you can do to save water, both outside and inside your house. 

Outside

Inside

Billing statements are sent out on the first of each month and are due on the 15th of each month.

Billed consumption is usually a combination of the past month and the current month depending on where your water system fits in the meter reading schedule.

The Capital Surcharge is a financial tool used to fund system replacements at the end of an asset’s life cycle. The PUD has committed to customers that we will only use capital surcharge monies for infrastructure replacements/improvements that are in the District’s Asset Management Plan (AMP). An AMP has been created for each water system. The AMP forecasts the capital improvements or replacements that are needed for your water system, when they are needed and the cost.  

Yes, Thurston PUD accepts bank account payments.

If you'd like to make a payment by phone, call us at (866) 357-8783.

If you'd like a payment online or if you'd like to set up Auto Pay, visit our payment portal website here.

If you'd like to set up Direct Debit automatic withdrawal payments, complete this form and return the completed form to our Customer Service Team.

Yes, we encourage customers to sign up for Auto Pay through our payment portal here.

 

Conservation FAQs

Is your toilet a water hog? Replacing an old 3½- to 8-gallon-per-flush toilet with a new 1.28-gallon-per-flush (or less) high-efficiency model could save thousands of gallons per year. 

Do you have a leaky faucet? A little drip may not seem like much, but a faucet that drips just five times a minute may be wasting more than 200 gallons of water a year. 

Do you leave the faucet running when you brush your teeth? Turn it off to save 70 gallons per month or more. You can also install water-saving faucet aerators to further reduce your faucet water use. 

Do you like long showers? Even if you already have a high-efficiency showerhead, every minute you shorten your shower can save up to 75 gallons per month. 

Do you have an old washing machine? A high-efficiency clothes washer may use half the water and energy that a traditional washer uses. And don’t forget to only run full loads (in your dishwasher, too). 

Have a suggestion for avoiding water waste? Send it to us!  

How “green” is your garden? By using native plants — plants that are used to our climate you may be able to reduce your outdoor water use significantly. 

Does your lawn need watering? A good way to check is to just step on the grass. If it springs right back up, you may not need to turn on the sprinklers. When it’s time to water, do it at dawn or dusk to reduce evaporation. 

Have you checked your sprinkler system lately? A sprinkler system can waste water if sprinkler heads are broken, automatic timers are not adjusted for rain, or hidden leaks are not detected. 

Can you avoid getting out the garden hose? A hose can use 10 gallons of water per minute. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, walkways, and driveways. 

Have a dirty car? Use a bucket of water instead of a hose to wash your car. Even better, take your car to a car wash that recycles its water. 

Also, review other tips here.

Have a suggestion for avoiding water waste? Send it to us! 

Save water by installing a drip irrigation system or using a timer on garden hoses.

The tips for saving water at home are the same as saving water in an apartment building. Please review the question listed above for more details. 

Schools can help conserve water by locating leaks and repairing these leaks in a timely manner. 

For more conservation tips, please visit the PUD's Water Systems webpage, located here. Other resources are listed below:

 

Water Quality FAQs

A milky or cloudy appearance is usually caused by air bubbles in the water, which pose no health risk. If the water is allowed to sit, the air will dissipate and the water will clear. If the cloudiness does not disappear, please contact us so that we may investigate.

Color in water is usually caused by naturally occurring organic matter, minerals, or mineral build-up in the pipes. At Thurston PUD, we flush our water systems regularly to clean mineral build-up and other sediment from the pipes. If you receive discolored water, you should let your faucets run until the water is clear. Such substances typically do not pose a health hazard; however, we ask that you please contact us about any instances of discolored water so that we may investigate. 

Thurston PUD conducts regular water system flushing to remove any mineral build-up and sediment from the pipes and also to ensure that water circulates adequately throughout the system. Fire hydrants may also be opened to flush systems and conduct fire-flow capability tests. 

Disinfectants are required because they prevent the spread of germs that cause diseases. Years ago, before disinfectants were used for drinking water, diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery were common. Drinking water disinfection has vastly improved the quality and safety of drinking water. 

Most of the water systems that Thurston PUD owns and operates are not treated with chlorine.  For those that are, chlorine is typically added for disinfection purposes (to kill any bacteria that may be present), but can also be used as an oxidant to remove odors such as naturally-occurring hydrogen sulfide (“rotten eggs”) or as an aid in the iron and manganese removal process. To reduce any chlorine taste or smell, try refrigerating your water before drinking. If the chlorine odor or taste is unusually high (i.e., not normal for your water system), please contact us and we will look into it. 

Dirt or sand can occur naturally in groundwater or as a result of a water line repair. We try to reduce the instances of dirt or sand in the water through regular flushing, which improves water quality by increasing the circulation of water in the pipes and removing most of the sediment from the water. 

At Thurston PUD, we conduct periodic flushing as part of our ongoing water quality and water system maintenance program. We use flushing valves that are typically located in easement to remove minerals and sediment that build up in water lines over time. 

This improves water quality and increases the amount of water that can flow through the water lines. 

Although it may seem wasteful to the casual observer, flushing is actually an important and necessary water utility activity that is endorsed by the American Water Works Association and conducted in accordance with guidelines set by the Washington State Department of Health. 

You will continue to receive water while we are flushing, but the pressure may lower temporarily. If you notice any discoloration and/or sediment in your water after we have flushed, please allow water to run from your outside hose bib until it clears. 

Hardness is a measure of the magnesium, calcium, and carbonate minerals in water. Water is considered soft if total hardness is less than 75 ppm, moderately hard at 75 to 150 ppm, hard at 150 to 300 ppm, and very hard at 300 ppm or higher. To convert the hardness of your water from parts per million to grains per gallon, simply divide by 17.1.

Water’s hardness varies with its source. Hard water is not harmful to health, so the choice to buy a water softener is an aesthetic one. However, people on low-sodium diets should be aware that many water softeners increase the sodium content of the water. 

The hardness of your water is listed in your annual water quality report.  

Thurston PUD does not add fluoride to the water in any of our systems.

First, check to see if there is any other appliances or water fixtures running in your home.

Next, determine if you have low pressure at just one appliance or fixture in your home. If you are experiencing low pressure throughout your home, please call our Customer Service Team at (866) 357-8783 for information about flushing, maintenance, or outages that may affect your water pressure.

If you are experiencing low pressure on just one appliance or fixture in your home, you are experiencing a plumbing issue. Please call a licensed plumber if you are not able to diagnose and repair the issue yourself.

 

External Resources