FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

DAILY WATER CONSERVATION PLAN

Ordinance 25-10, passed May 12, 2025

All people using water for lawn and garden watering or irrigation shall do so in the following manner:

STAGE 1 (Year Round)

Customers must immediately reduce landscape irrigation systems and hose-end sprinklers to a maximum of two (2) days per week.  Irrigation of landscape areas and building foundations is still permitted at any time using a handheld hose, drip irrigation or a soaker hose. 

Customers are required to follow a mandatory time-of-day landscape irrigation schedule.  No outdoor watering with automatic irrigation systems and hose-end sprinklers can occur from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. 

Twice Per Week Water Schedule
Residential address ending in 0,2,4,6,8 shall water on Monday and Thursday
Residential address ending in 1,3,5,7,9 shall water on Tuesday and Friday
Commercial and multi-family shall water on Wednesday and Saturday

STAGE 2 (Emergency State)

Customers must immediately reduce landscape irrigation systems and hose-end sprinklers to a maximum of one (1) day per week.  Irrigation of landscape areas and building foundations is still permitted at any time using a handheld hose, drip irrigation or a soaker hose. 

Customers are required to follow a mandatory time-of-day landscape irrigation schedule.  No outdoor watering with automatic irrigation systems and hose-end sprinklers can occur from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. 

Once Per Week Water Schedule
Residential address ending in 0,2,4,6,8 shall water on Thursday
Residential address ending in 1,3,5,7,9 shall water on Tuesday

STAGE 3 (Emergency State)

The following are prohibited:

  1. Washing vehicles
  2. Refilling empty swimming pool
  3. Filling new swimming pool
  4. New lawn variances
  5. Lawn and garden watering or irrigation

The Mayor will appoint and authorize a Town employee to issue citations to customers that are in non-compliance with the water conservation plan.

The Director of Public Works of the Town of Ponder has the authority to implement all three (3) stages of the Water Conservation Plan as noted in the criteria in Exhibit A of this ordinance and without prior Town Council approval.

Category: Public Works

We bill on actual usage each month unless your meter is inaccessible.

Category: Public Works

Choose a time when water will not be used for at least 6 to 8 hours (overnight or if no one will be home during the day). Take a meter reading before and after the allotted time, if there is a difference in the readings there is possibly a leak.

Category: Public Works

The Town of Ponder accepts payment by check, cash, cashier’s check, money order, credit card and online. We have a night drop box available 24 -hours a day located by the front door of Town Hall. An inside window is available Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & Friday 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Category: Public Works

Initiating service or changing the name on an existing account requires a completed Water Service Application and a $200.00 deposit. The application must be submitted and the deposit shall be paid at the time of application. The deposit is held on the account until the account is closed and all outstanding balances are paid. A check will then be mailed to the forwarding address.

Category: Public Works

With hundreds of water meters to read, the meter reading staff must be able to quickly access your water meter in order to collect meter readings, which will ensure correct charges to your utility billing account. It is the policy of Meters Services to read each meter every month. In accordance with this, to avoid any delays in obtaining a reading, the meter reader requires clear access to the meter. If a meter reader can quickly collect a reading from the meter on the first visit to your property, it helps keep utility costs down, which benefits all customers in helping to keep rates stable.

Here are some helpful tips for making sure that your water meter is accessible:

  • Trim bushes, trees, and grass that block the way to or cover the water meter. It is amazing how quickly these plants cover a water meter box during the growing season. In an effort to avoid any accidental damage to your prized plantings, please avoid planting landscape items in the area to which your meter readers must travel.

  • Please make sure that no objects cover or block access to the meter box. A few items found blocking water meters include cars, trailers, garbage cans, construction equipment or supplies, and landscape bark or gravel.

  • If your meter is located behind a gate that is normally kept locked, please contact us at (940) 479-2396  to arrange access. We often obtain keys from our customers who wish to secure their property as long as the lock is accessible from the outside of the gate.

  • Please remember your meter is located in the Town's right of way and if repairs are needed the Town is not held responsible for replacing or repairing any private property located in the right of way.

  • Please ensure your house address is clearly displayed on your residence. This will not only assist the meter reader but emergency personnel as well.

Category: Public Works

It is the policy of the Meter Services Division to read all meters on a monthly basis. In accordance with this policy, the bill you receive will be on a monthly basis. The meter readers are equipped to read your meter with an electronic reading device. This device downloads the current usage into the utility billing system, eliminating any guesswork or human error. In some circumstances, where a meter has to be manually read, the meter readers are equipped to read the meter by hand with special tools. Because all of the meters are located in meter boxes that are placed in the ground, dirt accumulation is a constant problem. Weather, soil type, leaves, and ant beds all contribute to the situation. Whenever this occurs and a water meter needs to be read manually, the meter readers simply brush away the dirt to reveal the meter dial. They also have specially designed reading tubes to read through water in order to acquire a read, which in turn is entered into the hand-held equipment manually.

Category: Public Works

Yes. Most water meters are read electronically; however, Meter Services does read the meters manually, if necessary.

Category: Public Works

If a leak occurs during the business hours of Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. or Friday 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., please call the Utility Billing Division at (940) 479-2396, opt 4 for a service technician to turn off your water so repairs can be made.

If an emergency leak is discovered and you require assistance turning off your meter after-hours, please call (940) 479-2396, opt 4 and your call will be forwarded to the on-call technician.
Call the Utility Billing Division again once your repairs are made and your water is back on. Yes, it is okay for your plumber to turn back on your water; most of them do.
If the leak causes your bill to go up higher than normal, contact the Utility Billing Division to learn available billing options.

Category: Public Works

If you have a water emergency after-hours, please call (940) 479-2396, opt 4 and your call will be forwarded to the on-call technician.

Category: Public Works

Most often the meter is located in the front of the house, with a black rectangular lid.

Category: Public Works

The water department is located in Ponder Town Hall at 102 W. Bailey St. 

Hours of Operation
Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Category: Public Works

Sewer rates are based on water consumption.

Category: Public Works

There are various reasons for high water bills. Often it can be outdoor watering. You can read your water meter before and after using the sprinkler system to get accurate usage for lawn watering. Water leaks are another reason for high usage. A 1/32″ in diameter can use 180 gallons in 24 hours, 5,400 per month.

Category: Public Works
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