Customer Service FAQ During the COVID-19 Pandemic
I don’t have water at the house I’m moving into, what do I do?
If you’re a new tenant, or recently purchased a home and water needs to be put in your name, or turned on, please call 541-774-2430. You will be transferred to a member of our staff that can help you. Due to limited staffing, same day service may not be available.
I’m concerned about the quality of my water; how can I get it tested?
Our water supply and the quality of the water we provide has not been affected by COVID-19. If you have specific concerns, please click here to visit our water quality page for additional information. For FAQ’s specific to COVID-19 and concerns regarding the safety of our water related to the virus, please click here.
Is the water safe to drink?
The water provided by Medford Water to our customers and the communities we serve, has not been affected by COVID-19. Please click here to visit our water quality page for additional information. For FAQ’s specific to COVID-19 and concerns regarding the safety of our water related to the virus, please click here.
I had water but now I don’t, what happened?
Medford Water returned to standard disconnection procedures for non-payment in mid-November 2021 (following suspension of shut-offs and late fees in March 2020); if your account is up to date and you have not requested a disconnection, here are things you can check:
- Go to your meter and make sure your hand valve is on. Sometimes customers or maintenance workers have a repair to make and accidently turn off the wrong meter. When they figure it out, they don’t often go back and turn back on the meter that they accidentally turned off.
- If your hand valve is on, look at the dials on the meter. If you see a black triangle spinning, or a sweep arm going around the face of the meter, that indicates water is flowing. If you’re not using water inside (laundry, dishes, shower) or outside, and the meter is moving then you may have a leak. (If you have a digital meter, water flowing would be indicated by a “+” sign flashing.)
- If you live in a multi-family residence or apartment complex, it’s possible that a maintenance worker for the complex or your landlord has been doing work and you were not informed. It’s always advisable to go outside and see if there are plumbers or maintenance workers in the area.
If after following the above stops you are still without water, please call us at 541-774-2430 to connect with a staff member that can assist you.
I only have cold water, what happened to my hot water?
The water that Medford Water provides to your home or business is cold water. If you have cold water but not hot water, that is an issue with your hot water heater. For renters, we suggest calling your landlord or property manager for assistance. If you own your home, you may require the services of a plumber.
I can’t pay my bill, are you going to turn off my water?
Following suspension of disconnection procedures for non-payment at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, Medford Water resumed standard disconnection procedures in mid-November 2021. To help our customers get their accounts back on track over time and keep the utility financially resilient, we have created flexible zero-interest repayment plans.
If you have a past-due balance, please call our office for more information on these plans. A payment arrangement will prevent late fees from being assessed on your account.
In addition to payment options, we provide annual grants to several local agencies for water bill payment assistance. If you are having trouble paying your bill, any one of these agencies may be able to help you:
• ACCESS: 541-779-6691
• St. Vincent de Paul: 541-772-3828
• The Salvation Army: 541-772-8149
What do I do if I think I have a leak?
If you think you may have a leak, notice water pooling in your yard, hear water running, experience a sudden drop in pressure or hear your toilet is frequently running, please check your meter. If you’re not using water in your home or outside the dials on your meter should not move. If you’re dials are moving and you’re not using water, you may have a leak.
For additional information on how to check your meter to see if you have a leak, click here.
Where is my meter located?
Your water meter is usually located at the front of your property, either towards the left or right side, next to your driveway, or more towards the middle of your property. Meters may be by themselves, or in a bank of two or more meters.
Unlike electric and gas meters, water meters are in the ground and are not located next to your home. Depending on your neighborhood, your meter may be in the sidewalk, in a gravel or grassy area in front of your home or in the landscape strip between the curb and sidewalk. Some meters will be in areas that customers have landscaped and are difficult to access.
If you have an emergency and need immediate access to your meter and are unable to locate it, please call 541-774-2430 during normal business hours, or 541-779-7611 after hours, and a member of our staff can help direct you to your meter.
For additional information on accessing your meter, please click here.
What if I have questions about my bill?
Please log into your account at services.medfordwater.org. If you have not yet registered your account, you can do so using your customer-account number from your bill.
If you have a specific question about a charge on your bill that is not covered in our rate schedule or by viewing your account online, please email us at customerservice@medfordwater.org. Due to current staffing availability, please allow up to 3 business days for a response.
For information on understanding your bill, click here.
How do I get information I need for taxes?
Medford Water does not provide information for tax reporting purposes. If you need the total amount paid during a specific calendar year, we encourage you to view your account online. Once logged in, on the left-hand side click “billing history” to view a copy of your bills, or “transaction history” for all transactions on the account. Bills or transactions for the current year will display. To change to a previous year, click the dropdown from the top right and select the year you would like to view.
You can print out the transaction history, or the individual bill copies to use for your taxes.
If you are unable to access your account(s) online, you can request that this information be mailed to the mailing address on record or emailed to you. To do so, please email your request with the customer-account, service address, your preferred delivery method, your name, and a contact phone number to customerservice@medfordwater.org.
Due to current staffing availability, please be aware that it may take up to 3 days for your request to be completed. Additionally, verification by phone may be required prior to sending out the requested information.
I mailed in a payment, when will that be applied to my account?
Mail payments are still being processed as we receive them. Late fees are suspended, and there will not be any negative reporting on your account.
Please note: Some payments sent through your bank’s bill pay program are sent through the mail to us by check. This may delay the payment clearing your account in a timely manner.
How do I pay my account?
All customers are encouraged to use one of our automated payment systems:
- Online with your debit/credit card, or bank draft at services.medfordwater.org
- Automated phone payment with your debit/credit card by calling 541-774-2430, option 1
If you are unable to use one of our automated systems, please contact our office by phone, 541-774-2430.
Rest assured, late fees and shut-offs for non-payment have been suspended and there will not be any negative reporting due to any late payments while our office is closed to the public.
I don’t use the internet or automated systems for payments, can I talk to a person?
We understand that not all of our customers like making their payments using current technology, and some just like talking to a “real person”. We like talking to you too! Our office reopened to the public in July 2021; masks are required. Our primary focus is providing uninterrupted water service to our customers and the community we serve while maintaining our commitment to public health and ensuring the health and safety of our staff; we still encourage you to use one of the many alternatives to doing business in-person.
If my payment is late is there a late fee?
We returned to standard disconnection procedures---including associated late payment fees---in mid-November 2021. If you have a past-due balance, please call our office for more information on options that may be available to you.
I pay all my bills in cash; how can I do that ?
Our office is reopen to the public; masks are required.
Are there pay stations where I can make my payment?
No. We do not have any authorized pay stations. We encourage our customers to take advantage of our automated payment systems:
- Online with your debit/credit card, or bank draft at services.medfordwater.org
- Automated phone payment with your debit/credit card by calling 541-774-2430, option 1
I put my payment in a drop box, when will it be applied to my account?
Drop boxes will continue to be checked regularly, and all payments received though a drop box or by mail will be processed as soon as staff is able.
When will your office be open again to the public?
Our office reopened to the public in July 2021. Our primary focus is providing uninterrupted water service to our customers and the community we serve while maintaining our commitment to public health and ensuring the health and safety of our staff, and we still encourage you to use one of the many alternatives to doing business in-person.
If there is an emergency with my water, what do I do?
Please call 541-774-2430 during normal business hours, and 541-779-7611 after hours, to connect with a member of our staff that can assist you.
I can’t make a payment arrangement because I don’t know when I’ll be able to pay, what do I do?
To help our customers get their accounts back on track over time and keep the utility financially resilient, we have created flexible zero-interest repayment plans. If you have a past-due balance, please call our office for more information on these plans. We returned to standard disconnection procedures in mid-November 2021, and a payment arrangement will prevent late fees from being assessed on your account.
In addition to payment options, we provide annual grants to several local agencies for water bill payment assistance. If you are having trouble paying your bill, any one of these agencies may be able to help you:
• ACCESS: 541-779-6691
• St. Vincent de Paul: 541-772-3828
• The Salvation Army: 541-772-8149
We’re here to answer your questions and to help you with payments and payment arrangements, billing questions, and water-related services. Call us at 541-774-2430, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or stop by and see us in person at the Lausmann Annex, 200 South Ivy Street - Room 177, Medford, Oregon.
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