Water Quality & Sewer – FAQs

Call the Huntsville Police Department’s non-emergency number 256.722.7100. They will contact the proper personnel.
Maintenance of the sewer service line is the customer’s responsibility from the house to the main sewer line. If you have a problem in your service line that you cannot fix yourself, you should call a licensed plumber for assistance. If the plumber determines the problem is something that needs to be addressed by the City, he or she will contact WPC.
There is a blockage in the sewer line somewhere downstream of the cleanout. Contact a licensed plumber for assistance.
Sewer charges are based on the amount of water used, as determined by Huntsville Utilities’ water meter.
It is not unusual across the country for a sewer bill to be higher than the corresponding water bill. As environmental regulations have become more and more stringent over the past few decades, the costs of treating wastewater to required levels have risen substantially. The relative sizes of a customer’s water bill and sewer bill depend on how various water and wastewater utilities calculate their bills.
Contact Huntsville Utilities at 256.535.1200.
An important way to save on both water and sewer bills is to check for any leaking plumbing fixtures and leaking toilet flap valves. Repairs are easy and can save tons on your next water and sewer bill.
Please contact Huntsville Utilities at 256.535.1200 to speak with them about water leak adjustments. If Huntsville Utilities accepts your request to adjust the cost of water, the request will automatically make an adjustment on the sewer fee overages without have to call WPC. If Huntsville Utilities disallows a water credit, you may call Water Pollution Control at 256.883.3719, and ask to speak with someone about the leak in question. Please note; we cannot provide adjustments for leaks or waste that are considered audible or visible, nor if any amount of water could possibly enter a sanitary sewer system. Water entering a sanitary sewer system is treated at our facility, which is at a cost to us; therefore, no adjustment can be made to your sewer fees if there is a chance any water entered the sewer system. Supporting documentation is mandatory for all requests.
Yes, irrigation and pool meters are available. The meter cannot be used for anything discharged to the sanitary sewer system. For more information, contact Huntsville Utilities.
You must file a Notice of Claim with the City Clerk/Treasurer’s Office. A decision will be made on your claim in four to six weeks.
No. Antifreeze, oils, and other substances can be properly disposed of in several ways. You may put used oil out in a clear plastic container in your blue recycle bin. Several auto repair shops accept materials as well. Additionally, the Solid Waste Disposal Authority accepts these materials along with other household hazardous waste.
Contact WPC at 256.883.3719. If the substances are being dumped onto the ground instead of into the sewer system, contact the Natural Resources Department at 256.427.5750.
We accept sewage from motor homes and septic tanks. Call 256.883.3719 for locations, procedures, and hours of acceptance.
Contact the City of Huntsville’s Engineering Department at 256.427.5300.
A better term for what we usually just call “water” is “drinking water”. It is what comes out of the faucet, spigot, and garden hose. And although drinking water is also used for things like bathing, cooking, and car washing, the idea remains the same: it is safe to drink. Wastewater, as it is known to environmental professionals, is what others often call “sewage”. Wastewater is essentially what is produced when drinking water is used indoors. The drinking water used to bathe, cook, or flush becomes wastewater when it falls through the drain. And tens of thousands of Huntsville’s people depend on WPC to take it from there.
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