Customer Service, Meters and Leak Alerts
Service and Response
If water service to your property has been disrupted, contact the LAWC plant 209-753-6241 and LAWC office 209-753-2409 as soon as possible. Please leave a message with your name, lot number and phone number. You will receive a call back as soon as your message has been received. The LAWC staff will indicate when an operator will be able to arrive at your property to help troubleshoot the disruption.
Throughout the year, usually in the summer, LAWC must do repairs and maintenance on the water distribution system. For these planned disruptions, we may need to turn water off at a location for a certain length of time and LAWC staff will make every reasonable attempt to contact you prior to the disruption of service. Please advise the LAWC office of your most current email and phone numbers.
For unplanned disruptions, LAWC will make every attempt to notify you of the situation and the estimated time of restored service. We will make every reasonable effort to restore service as soon as possible.
Service Connection
LAWC has a responsibility to deliver water, maintenance and service to every service connection within the distribution area. The service connection is defined as the meter connection in the water box. Therefore, LAWC is responsible for the service of water to and through the water meter. LAWC will maintain water boxes, meters and registers including the transmitter and valves on the line directly before and after the meter.
When LAWC staff arrives, they will test for the flow of water at the service connection. If water is not flowing through the meter, they will work diligently to restore service as soon as possible. If water is flowing through the meter but is disrupted between the meter and your home fixtures, they will inform you of the situation. Pipes and plumbing past the meter whether in the ground or throughout your home, are your responsibility. LAWC operators are not insured or permitted to perform plumbing work in your home.
Plumbers and contractors that work in Bear Valley include:
- Mike Page 209-753-6124
- Gold Star Plumbing 209-728-3210
- Darby Plumbing Co. 209-728-3151
For digging up your pipe in the ground or doing other outside pipe work try Mike Arnold of Sierra Blue Rock Corp. 209-770-0045.
Meter Reading
Every service connection in the LAWC system has a meter and register recording use. Each register transmits a signal with a unique identifying code and the meter reading.
LAWC picks up the signals by driving around with a radio antenna, the computer does the translating and the readings are transferred to your account. LAWC reads meters at the end of every month or when a drop in the tank levels indicates a large use or leak. All usage is recorded as hundred cubic feet, CCF for short. One CCF is approximately 748 gallons.
Leak Alerts
With every meter reading, there are alerts picked up by the computer. A leak alert means continuous water flow through the meter. Specifically, it means water flowed for 24 hours without a 1 hour break. A leak alert can detect even the slightest drip, 0.125 gallon per minute. LAWC will notify you of a leak alert via email or postcard depending on the type contact information we have on file.
LAWC can help you isolate the leak to either: between the meter and your house valve or past your house valve to somewhere in your home. All repairs downstream of the meter and throughout the home are your responsibility.
Water Conservation and Rationing Plan
There is a lot we can do to responsibly use water. If water supplies are reduced, LAWC will activate conservation methods and later rationing to ensure adequate water for health and safety uses. Please see our Water Conservation and Rationing Plan Here.
Water Pressure
As directed by the CPUC, LAWC will endeavor to maintain normal operating pressures of not less than 40 pounds per square inch (psi) nor more than 125 psi at the service connection, except that during periods of hourly maximum demand the pressure at the time of peak seasonal loads may not be less than 30 psi and that during periods of hourly minimum demand the pressure may not be more than 150 psi. Ideally, pressure should be 40- 80 psi in your home. In new construction, a Pressure Regulating Valve (PRV) is required if the pressure is over 80 psi.
The water pressure for your property will depend on its physical relation to the water supply tanks. The three tanks are located on top of Bloods Ridge, above Spring Cliff Road and at the top of the dam. The lower your home is located downhill from a tank, the higher the pressure (approximately ½ psi per foot in elevation).
Changes in the neighborhood’s population can also lead to increased water pressure. These events definitely occur in Bear Valley if you compare February or August high use to May or October low use. Pressures could be higher in those low occupancy months.
What’s wrong with high water pressure?
In your home’s plumbing system, high water pressure can do damage by eroding the insides of pipes, joints and appliances. It’s a lot like the effect high blood pressure has on your body, adding stress to the system. The damage high water pressure does to the plumbing system in your home can lead to leaking water heaters, dripping faucets, and reduced life expectancies for appliances.
Do you have high water pressure?
The only way to know for sure is a pressure test but you may also notice symptoms of high pressure:
- “clanging” or “rattling” pipes may occur when a faucet, dishwasher or washing machine shuts off. This is caused by a high-pressure water hammer.
- water heater pressure relief valve malfunctions.
- a whistling sound coming through the pipes in your home when you turn on the sink or shower, or when the toilet tank just begins to fill.
- reoccurring leaks.
What can you do about it?
Have a plumbing technician check your water pressure. If pressure is high, they should install a pressure regulating valve (PRV). The PRV should be installed as close to the house main valve as possible to protect the whole home and to protect the PRV from freezing when you are away. A PRV ranges in price from $60-100. The life expectancy of a water pressure regulator is most commonly in the range of 10 to 15 years.
How will a PRV help?
The PRV will regulate the water pressure in your home, providing a consistent and lower pressure. Installing a PRV can reduce water pressure by 1/3, which means you’ll preserve your home’s plumbing fixtures and pipes and lower your water and water heating bills. Lowering water pressure means adding life to your home and saving money on utility bills.
How do I find a plumber? You may have a favorite already. Mike Page 209-753-6124, Darby Plumbing 209-728-3151 and Gold Star Plumbing 209-728-3210 work in Bear Valley.