Utility Billing & FAQ’s

Jean Moyer
Utility Billing Manager (740) 967-3177
jmoyer@villageofjohnstown.org 
P.O. Box 457
599 South Main Street
Johnstown, Ohio 43031

Water/Sewer Documents

The Utility Billing Department is responsible for generating utility bills for water and wastewater services and for providing customer assistance to utility customers who may have questions about their bills. This department’s goal is to provide friendly, professional service to Village customers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) for the Utility Billing Office:

Q. What are the hours of operation for the Village of Johnstown’s Utility Billing office?
A. The Utility Billing office, located at 599 South Main Street in Johnstown, is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Q. How do I sign up for water and sewer service?
A. You may establish water and wastewater (sewer) service for property located within the Village of Johnstown. All applicants for water/sewer service are required to make a water deposit for each water service connection; such deposit is to remain with the village throughout the term of the service contract. The amount of the deposit for all residential customers is $150.00.

The village requires a 24-hour notice to start water service. Complete the Application Form along with your payment of $150.00. Applications may be processed in our office during regular business hours, along with a copy of a picture ID. Please allow 24 hours after processing of application and remittance for water service to be started. Applications are processed Monday through Friday only.

Q. What is the billing cycle and when are bills due?
A. Customers are billed every month and payment is due by the 25th of every month.

  • Late charges will be assessed on the 26th.
  • The bill includes a charge for the amount of water used.
  • Sewer charge, Water Debt charge, Sewer Debt charge is based on the water consumption.
  • Your bill shows the previous and current meter reading dates and the water used in that period.
  • Usage is billed in the 1000 of gallons of water.
  • If you know that you are going to be late, contact us before the initial due date.

Q. What payment methods are accepted for my water bill?
A. The Utility Billing office can accept checks, cash, eCheck payments and credit card payments. eCheck payments go through the Official Payments Corporation at: https://www.officialpayments.com/index.jsp

Convenience fees are as follows:

  • eCheck fee of $3.00 for payments under $10,000.00
  • eCheck fee of $15.00 for payments over $10,000.00
  • Credit card fee of $3.00 for up to a $200.00 transaction.

Credit cards accepted:
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover

Note: Cash payments must be for the full amount. Change cannot be given at the Utility Billing office. However, all extra payment amounts will be deducted from the next month’s bill.

Q. How may I submit my payment?
A. 

Payments can be mailed to:

Village of Johnstown Water
P.O. Box 2070
Mt. Vernon, OH 43050

 Paid in person at:

Park National Bank
60 W. Coshocton St.
Johnstown, Ohio 43031

Dropped in the Village drop box at:

Village of Johnstown office
599 South Main Street
Johnstown, Ohio 43031

Hours: 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays.

Water bills can be paid online through the Official Payments Corporation at: https://www.officialpayments.com/index.jsp. Please note that convenience fees are charged for this service.

Note:  If your service is in jeopardy of being turned off, please pay at the Village Offices located at 599 South Main Street. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Village Office has a drop box located on the southeast corner of the building.

Q. How Do I Avoid Termination Of My Water Service?
A. To avoid penalties to your utility bill, the net amount is due in our office by 4:30 p.m. on or before the due date printed on your bill.

If you receive an orange notice, this represents termination of service for non-payment. Please do not disregard this notice without contacting the Utility Billing office. If your account falls behind, you are in jeopardy of termination of service. If this happens, your account will need to be paid in person at the Utility Billing office. You will be required to bring your account current and pay a reconnection fee.

Q. I’m Moving and Need To Terminate My Service. What Do I Do?
A. If you are moving and terminating your service, please contact the Utility Billing office at (740) 967-5951 at least 24 hours prior to the time you want service discontinued. Office hours are 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays.

Q. What Are the Water and Sewer Rates in Johnstown?
A.

Water Rates $10.50 Minimum – 2000 Up to 2000 $29.50
$5.50 3000 and beyond 3000 $45.00
4000 $60.50
Sewer Rates $6.40 Minimum – 2000 5000 $76.00
$3.00 3000 and beyond 6000 $91.50
7000 $107.00
Water Debt Rates $5.50 Minimum – 2000 8000 $122.50
$3.70 3000 and beyond 9000 $138.00
10000 $153.50
Sewer Debt Rates $7.10 Minimum – 2000 11000 $169.00
$3.30 3000 and beyond 12000 $184.50
13000 $200.00
Bulk Water $10.00 Per 1000 14000 $215.50
Bulk Sewer $50.00 Per 1000 15000 $231.00
20000 $308.50
25000 $386.00

$29.50

 30000 $463.50

$15.50

 35000 $541.00
40000 $618.50
45000 $696.00
50000 $773.50
55000 $851.00

Q. Can You Explain How Meter Reading is Done?
A. The Village of Johnstown water meters measure water usage in gallons. A water meter is a precision instrument, built to the exacting standards of the industry and carefully tested for accuracy before it is installed. While the meter is owned, installed and maintained by the Village of Johnstown, you are responsible for protecting it from damage. If the meter is damaged, including the freezing of a meter, you must pay for a replacement.

Q. Why is My Bill Higher Than Expected?
A. High Bills Usually Mean a Leak. Leaks can drip hundreds of gallons of water down the drain. Not only is the water wasted, but, it registers through your meter and could cost you several hundred dollars a month. Please note that no reduction in Water Charge or Water Debt will be made for leakage.

Toilet leaks are the most common and costly types of leaks, because toilets represent the greatest water use in the home. Here are some easy ways to check for and fix a toilet leak:

1. Remove the top of the tank.
Find the overflow tube in the center of the tank. The water level should be approximately one inch below the top of the overflow. If the water is above the overflow, you probably have a continuous overflow leak. If the water is just at the top of the overflow, sprinkle some powder on the surface of the water near the overflow. If the powder disappears down the overflow, this also indicates a continuous overflow leak.

2. Wait 5 minutes after a flush.
Check the water in the bowl for ripples. Or perform a dye test: Simply put a few drops of food coloring or Kool Aid packet in the tank and check the bowl in one hour. If colored water is getting into the bowl, you have a leak due to improper seating. If you do not have food coloring or Kool Aid packet, contact the Utility Billing Office.

If your toilet is not the culprit, other leaks are not so easy to see and can cause your water bill to be high. If you have a high water bill and the toilet seems to be operating properly:

  • Check all faucets. Replace worn washers or defective fixtures.
  • Check outside water taps to be sure they are turned off at the faucet.
  • Check you water heater overflow pipe.
  • Check a humidifier tank that has a miniature float and an overflow.
  • Check for an underground leak.
  • If You Want Us To Investigate in an effort to address high bills, we will check a residential property for possible leaks and recheck the meter reading.* You can arrange an investigation by calling 740-967-5951. We need you to be at the residence when we visit, or you can make arrangements for us to get inside. After our investigation, if a billing adjustment is needed, the correction will appear on you next regular bill.

*Note: This is a courtesy only; we are not responsible for plumbing beyond the street valve, nor are we obliged to investigate leaks in your plumbing or to offer advice on how to fix them. The Village of Johnstown is not responsible for any damages or expenses resulting from actions taken or not taken in response to advice given by a Utility representative.

Q. What are the Tap Fees to connect to Village Water and Sewer Service?
A. Click here to refer to the Village of Johnstown’s Water/Sewer Tap Fees Fact Sheet.

Q. Why Do I Pay Water and Sewer Debt?
A. Click here to refer to the Village of Johnstown’s Debt Policy Fact Sheet.

Q. How Can I Troubleshoot High Water Use?
A. If you feel your water consumption or bill seems high given your historical use, please locate your inside meter and write down the actual reading from the meter before calling the Utility Billing office. This will help determine what your actual usage has been since the last time an actual reading was taken.

Your meter has a leak indicator that will tell you if water is going through your meter. When you know there is no water being used, please check this indicator (small red dial) to make sure it is not moving. If the indicator is moving, water is going through your meter somewhere on the property. It is the responsibility of the property owner or tenant to determine where the water is being used. Some of the more common problems are:

  • A leaking toilet. (Simple test: Place food coloring in the tank and let sit for 10 minutes. If color comes into the bowl your toilet is leaking.)
  • A leaking hot water heater.
  • A faulty water softener.
  • A hose that has been left on.
  • An outside hose bib that is leaking.
  • An undetected broken pipe in a crawl space.

Please remember that the actual consumption reading is measured in even thousand gallon increments and so there may be occasional months when you use and are billed for an additional 1,000 gallons.