FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Think back to the previous three months (the time period of the bill) – Were there more people living in or visiting the household?  Did you have a leak that has since been repaired?  Do you have an ongoing leak that you are aware of? Was it during the summer months when usage is typically higher because of watering flowers or gardens, washing cars, filling swimming pools, etc.? All of these can contribute to higher usage.

If you are unsure of the reason, here are a few suggestions to help you determine the reason for the increased use:

• Check your toilets for leaks – Leaking toilets are the number one cause of higher usage and often go unnoticed until the water/sewer bill arrives. Place a few drops of food coloring in the back tank and wait 30 minutes, without flushing. If the food coloring seeps into the bowl, the toilet is leaking. Instead of using food coloring, we also have toilet dye strips available free of charge at the Authority office.  They can be picked up at our office during normal business hours. 
• Check your water softener if you have one – These sometimes leak internally or externally allowing water to continue to pass through the system needlessly.  If you can shut the water off to the softener, you can then check the water meter to see if the meter stops moving. Also, make sure it is recycling properly.
• Check all outside spigots – Make sure they are turned off and not leaking through the fixture or attached hoses.

Locate your water meter – It is typically located in your basement where the water line enters your home. However, some meters are in a crawl space under the home, in an attached garage, or in a meter pit outside the home.  If your meter is in an outside pit, you will not be able to perform the following inspections. Once you locate your meter:

• Check your water meter – Open the flip-top lid and check to see if the leak indicator is moving (the small, silver, flower-shaped wheel in the middle of the meter).  If it is moving when no water is being used, this indicates the presence of a leak.
• Read your water meter – Open the flip-top lid to see the register. When everyone is finished using water for the night, write down the reading. First thing in the morning before anyone uses water, write down the reading again.  It should be the same. If not, this indicates the presence of a leak.

If your water meter is in a meter pit outside of your home, you could possibly have a leak at your meter pit or in your water service line between the meter pit and your home. Check for water pooling or unusually wet areas in or around your meter pit or along the path of your water service line to your home, which could indicate the presence of a leak.

If you find any leaks, have them repaired as soon as possible. Prompt repairs of any leaks could eliminate a significant increase on your next bill. If you found no reason for the increased usage after performing these troubleshooting tips, then you may have used more water than you think. If you still believe there may be an issue, then you may want to call a licensed plumber to check your internal plumbing to help determine the possible cause of your higher usage. 

If you are comparing your bill or usage to that of your neighbors’, friends’ or family members’, make sure you are doing so with like-sized households. Also, keep in mind that everyone uses water differently. Some people take longer showers, run their dishwashers daily, wash more loads of laundry per week, or have leaky toilets or faucets. Also, some people like to water flowers, wash cars, etc. All these contribute to higher use and higher bills.

According to the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), only toilet paper and human waste are to be flushed down your toilet, not disinfecting wipes or other non-flushable items that should be disposed of in the trash. This includes even so-called "flushable" wipes.

Tissues, paper towels, and single-use wipes, including cleansing and diaper wipes, cannot be safely flushed, even if they are labeled as “flushable” or “biodegradable.” Other non-flushable items include things like diapers, feminine hygiene products, disposable toilet brushes, disposable gloves, cotton swabs, dental floss, and kitty litter.

PADEP also encourages residents and businesses to refrain from disposing of food scraps, grease, fat or oil down the drain. These should also be disposed of in the trash to help keep wastewater pipes clear.

Flushing or dumping the wrong things down the drain can cause blockages in your own home or business as well as problems in ECTA's sanitary sewer system and ultimately in the sanitary sewer treatment facility. These products do not break down like toilet paper and can clog systems very quickly.

What Not to Flush

Yes, with prior notification and by following the below guidelines, ECTA will allow our customers to discharge pool water into the public sanitary sewer system:

• The pool water chlorine level shall be neutralized to a level below 4 PPM and proof of chlorine level (date-stamped picture of chlorine test strip) shall be provided to ECTA prior to discharge.  To lower the level, simply stop adding chlorine to your uncovered pool and wait for the sunlight to naturally dissipate the chlorine within 10 days.
• If the pool was not filled via ECTA’s water system (i.e., bulk water hauler), then the customer shall provide dimensions of the pool for ECTA’s calculation of volume to be discharged.  Based upon ECTA’s calculation, customer shall pay for the volume to be discharged at the then current sanitary sewer rate prior to discharge (If the pool was filled via ECTA’s water system, then the sanitary sewer charges for the volume being discharged has already been paid).

After the above conditions are met and you receive ECTA’s permission, use a small-volume pump (maximum flow rate of 10 GPM) and hose to drain pool water into your sanitary sewer cleanout or into plumbing fixtures connected to the sanitary sewer system (i.e., utility/laundry sink, bathtub, etc.). DO NOT drain into public manholes or storm sewer drains.

Please call or email ECTA with questions or to request permission to discharge your swimming pool water into the ECTA sanitary sewer system.

The shut off/isolation valve inside the home, whether it is located before or after the water meter, shall be maintained by the property owner per Section X, Paragraph B. of the Rates, Rules and Regulations of the East Cocalico Township Authority Water System.

Occasionally East Cocalico Township Authority (ECTA) customers have questions related to water pressure in their homes or businesses. Most often these questions are related to a sudden, unexplained drop in water pressure or ongoing, low water pressure issues. The purpose of this letter is to explain how water pressure is created throughout the ECTA water system and some things you as the property owner can do to help alleviate your pressure issue.

ECTA operates approximately 50 miles of water mains throughout the Township. Our sources of water are 12 deep, ground wells.  We also operate a water treatment facility along with four water storage tanks located in different areas of the Township. 

The pressure in the ECTA water system is derived from the weight of the water in the storage tanks. This weight forces the stored water out of the tanks, into the water mains and eventually into your home or business. The elevation of your home or business in relation to the water level in the Authority’s tanks determines the water pressure you will find at your property. By design, the water level in all of the Authority’s tanks is at the same elevation above sea level. The lower your property’s elevation compared to the water level in the tanks, the higher your water pressure will be. Conversely, if your property is closer in elevation to the water level in the tank, the lower your water pressure will be. In general, the low-lying areas of the Township tend to have higher water pressure than the areas with higher elevation.

It is possible you may experience sudden or temporary changes in water pressure. For instance, in the rare occasion that the Authority needs to take a water tank out of service for repair or if there is a large, unexpected break in a water main near your property, you may experience a temporary reduction in water pressure. Firefighting activities can also decrease water pressure until the Authority’s water tanks recover. Heavy neighborhood use during “peak periods” such as early mornings could also contribute to a temporary drop in water pressure. Large industrial water users, especially if testing fire systems, can also cause a reduction in water pressure. All of these activities are temporary and will not cause a long-term reduction in water pressure.

If the water pressure at your property has decreased over time or has suddenly decreased for no apparent reason and the Authority is not performing maintenance activities nearby, there are some things you as a property owner can do:

• Water softeners are often the cause of low water pressure. If you have a bypass valve, divert water around the softener instead of through it to see if the house pressure improves. If pressure does improve, the softener probably needs repair or replacement.
• Check faucets throughout the house to see if the pressure issue is isolated to only a few fixtures. Run hot and cold water separately. Both should have about the same pressure. If hot water is noticeably less, there may be a problem with the water heater. Check that the shut-off valve is fully open and that any sediment in the tank is not restricting flow to the house.  Flush the water heater to remove built up sediment.
• If it is only a shower head or faucet that has low pressure, a good cleaning may solve the problem. Soak the faucet aerator or shower head in vinegar and remove any stubborn sediment with an old toothbrush. Run water through the faucet without the aerator before putting it back on.
• If any fixtures with low water pressure have shut-off valves, be sure the valves are fully open.
• Aging pipes, especially in older homes, can develop a buildup over time that can restrict water flow.
• Most homes and businesses have a shut-off valve before and after the water meter.  Make sure these valves are fully open and not restricting flow.
• If your home has a pressure reducing valve, make sure it is operating properly. A failing pressure reducing valve can cause a loss of water pressure throughout the house.
• A leak in your private water service line connecting the water lateral in the street to the meter in your house can cause reduced water pressure. This type of leak may go unnoticed for some time since it often occurs before the water meter and may not immediately surface.  Homes with meter pits can experience the same problem but the leak would occur after the meter in the pit.
• Leaking fixtures, especially toilets can waste a great deal of money if not promptly repaired. Depending on the size of the leak it can also lead to reduced water pressure.
• If you have installed a water filtration system make sure the filters are clean and the system is operating as designed.

If you have thoroughly checked your home’s plumbing with or without the assistance of a plumber and you desire higher water pressure than the Authority’s system can provide, a water booster pump may be a good option. The Authority does not purchase, sell, or install water booster pumps for customers. Contact a plumber of your choice for more information and assistance with purchase and installation.

No, we do not add Fluoride to the water.

No, the Authority is only responsible for the public sanitary sewer system. On-lot/septic systems are under the jurisdiction of the Township. Please call their office at (717) 336-1720.

Everyone uses water differently. Some people take longer showers, run their dishwashers daily, or have leaky toilets or faucets. Also, some people like to water flowers, wash cars, etc. All these contribute to higher use and higher bills.

No, we have 12 permitted wells that provide water to East Cocalico Township Authority customers.

EDU stands for Equivalent Dwelling Unit and is used for the purpose of capacity planning. One EDU is equivalent to 183 gallons per day of water and 253 gallons per day of sanitary sewer.