The purpose of the City of Ripley Water Leak Adjustment policy is to provide the customer with relief from an unusally high water bill resulting from a water supply line failure.  The Billing Office will make an adjustment to a customer’s water bill according to the rules and regulations for the Government of Water utilities of the West Virginia Public Service Commission 150 CSR7 4.4.c, and this policy which has been adopted by the City of Ripley.  To receive a billing adjustment due to a leak, the following conditions must be met:
1. The leak has to be in the customer’s supply line (in the yard or underneath the house). Leaking fixtures, malfunctioning appliances, running faucets and similar situations do not qualify for a leak adjustment.
2. The City of Ripley will only go back two months for a leak adjustment. Also, if it is a large leak, the water will be turned off after the second month until the leak is fixed. Our office will adjust for the first two (2) months after the the leak was discovered.
3. An employee of the water department must verify the location and nature of the leak and verify that the leak was repaired.
Adjustments to the water bill will be based on "historic usage" of the customer over the previous 6 months, which shall reflect seasonal or other historical patterns. If the customer does not have at least six (6) months of previous bills to establish historical usage, then the adjustment will be based on available data, which can include similar customers. The past usage for 6 months is divided by 6 to arrive at an average monthly usage. This average total is then subtracted from the gallons used during the month the leak occurred. This usage is now considered the leak amount and is billed according to our tariff. The Water rate is $2.41 per 1,000 gallons and the sewer rate is $5.00 per 1000 gallons. For large leaks, a payment plan can be set up if the customer desires. 

* Defrost foods in the refrigerator or microwave rather than under running water.
* Do not let the faucet run when brushing your teeth instead use a glass of water to rinse.
* Do not let the faucet run when rinsing vegetables instead use a pan of water or the sink instead.
* If pre-rinsing dishes use the sink and do not let the faucet run.
* If upgrading appliances or plumbing fixtures, choose the ones that conserve water. A high efficiency, front loading washing machine can use 30% less water than a top loading model.
* If watering, don’t water the sidewalk, driveway, or street.
* Install water conserving faucet aerators and showerheads.
* Repair leaky faucets. A slow steady drip can waste 350 gallons of water per month. Not only does this waste water, it increases your sewer bill and can increase your energy costs if it is hot water.
* Repair leaky toilets. A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day.
* Reposition downspouts onto lawn and garden areas rather than sidewalks or the driveway.
* Run dishwashers only when full, using the water saver feature if available.
* Run washing machines only when full and on the proper load size selection.
* Take shorter showers or a shower instead of a bath.
* Do not let the faucet run when shaving, instead use rinse water in the sink.
* Turn off icemakers and use trays instead.
* Use a broom or blower instead of the hose to clean off sidewalks and driveways.
* Use paper or recyclable plates and cups to reduce dish washing.

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