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SouthWest Water Company takes pride in delivering superior utility operations to the customers of the North Shelby Water Resource Recovery Facility and Collection System. The system, acquired by SouthWest Water in 2005, serves about 4,000 customer accounts located southeast of Birmingham in north Shelby County, Alabama.
Visit our Cleaner Cahaba website to learn more about the system.
Below, you can find information which is specific to customers of the North Shelby Utility.
North Shelby Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Customer Service
How Can I Reach Customer Service?
| Email: | alcustomersupport@swwc.com |
| Telephone: | 205-733-1672 or Toll Free 866-674-7922 |
| Fax: | 205-982-7139 |
| Mail: | 2086 A Valleydale Terrace Birmingham, AL 35244 (View a map of our office location) |
Please note we strive to address your inquiry as quickly as possible. Following are tips to help expedite the processing of your inquiry:
Tip #1: Be prepared and have the following information ready when calling or e-mailing us:
- Account name as it appears on your bill
- Account number
- Indicate whether you are the homeowner or the tenant
- Service address about which you are inquiring
- Description of request or issue
- If emailing us, provide phone number where you may be reached between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Tip #2: Avoid calling when everyone else calls.
Our customer care center is open 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Central Time. Call volume is usually the heaviest on Mondays and our busiest hour is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. You may experience a shorter hold time or faster service by calling outside these times.
If you choose to email us with your questions or request, please allow us 2 business days to research your issue and respond.
What are your business hours?
| Hours of Operation: | Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time Closed most nationally recognized holidays |
| After Hours Service Emergencies: | 205-987-8352 or Toll Free 800-844-8350 Our 24/7 answering service will take your information and contact a service technician. |
Billing and Payments
How Can I Pay My Bill?
We have convenient electronic payment options available, including automatic bank draft, which can be used by establishing an electronic profile on our Customer Portal.
You may also mail your payment to our Customer Care Center identified on your bill. You may also deliver it in person or utilize our drop box located at:
Customer Care Center
2086 A Valleydale Terrace
Birmingham, AL 35244
For more information about ways to pay, please review our Payment Options page.
When Is My Payment Due?
Your payment is due the 10th of every month.
Can I Pay Your Field Service Person To Avoid Service Interruption?
Our field personnel are not authorized to accept payments in any form. To avoid service interruption, please contact our Customer Service Department.
Why do I have to submit my request in writing to have a late fee removed?
All credits and/or fee waivers require a supervisor’s approval. Please submit your request for the waiver in writing. Refer to the tips listed under ‘How Can I Reach Customer Service’ to insure all the required information. Allow 2 business days to research the details of your case and contact you with a response.
If I put a stop payment on my check, why would you charge a NSF (non-sufficient funds) fee?
We are charged a fee by our bank regardless of the reason for the return of your payment. We also incur additional costs to research your account and make any necessary adjustments.
Why Did You Interrupt My Water Service?
In accordance with the Customer Service Agreement, SouthWest Water Company has permission, for delinquent sewer accounts, to interrupt water service flow into the premise via a Secondary Water Lock-Out Valve. Interrupting the incoming water flow to the premise eliminates a discharge from the premise to the wastewater collection system.
If My Service Is Interrupted For Non-payment, How Long Will It Take To Be Restored?
Under normal circumstances, if payment is made before 4:00 p.m. services will be restored the same business day by 6:00 p.m.
General Service
Who Do I Call For Issues With My Water Quality Or Water Meter?
The North Shelby Utility is a wastewater collection and treatment system. For issues with your water quality or water meter, please contact your water provider whose contact information can generally be found on your water bill.
What Is A Secondary Water Lock-Out Valve?
A Secondary Water Lock-Out Valve is situated on the premise side of the customer’s water line behind the water service provider’s meter as shown below. In accordance with the provisions of the Customer Service Agreement, if an account becomes delinquent, the valve is used to interrupt water service to the premise, thus eliminating a discharge from the premise into the wastewater collection system. All new home construction must have a Secondary Water Lock-Out Valve installed by the builder. The valve is also required on existing homes when an account reaches a delinquent status for which collection efforts have been exhausted.
What Is A Grinder Pump System?
If your home has a grinder pump, please refer to the Residential Grinder Pump System page for more information.
Rates
Is This A Public Or Privately Owned Utility?
This utility is privately owned by SWWC Utilities, Inc., a subsidiary of SouthWest Water Company.
Who Determines The Wastewater Treatment Rates And What Are They Based Upon?
The monthly wastewater treatment rate for North Shelby Utility is a flat rate initially set by the Shelby County Commission. Rate adjustments are allowed under strict requirements set by the asset purchase agreement of the North Shelby system and monitored by North Shelby County Sewer Rate Review Board. Rate adjustments are submitted for approval and are for the purpose of recovering specific costs experienced by the utility. The rate structure ensures that the system can operate efficiently and that vital repairs and improvements can be made to the infrastructure in order to provide reliable service.
Why Do I Have To Pay Monthly Wastewater Treatment Charges For A Vacant Property?
The sewer bill is based on the amount of treatment capacity that has been reserved for a particular home or business, rather than how much is used. Any treatment plant has a finite capacity of wastewater that can be treated in a day. Your reservation of a certain amount of treatment capacity guarantees that the treatment facility can safely and effectively treat that amount of wastewater from your home or business. The treatment capacity is reserved for your home or business for whenever it is needed, whether or not it is actually used.
Since Your Company Owns More Than One Wastewater Treatment And Collection Systems In Shelby County, Why Are The Rates Not The Same For All Customers?
In general, sewer rates are based on the cost of building, managing, operating, and maintaining the collection and treatment system, and are subject to strict rate controls. Every wastewater collection and treatment system is built differently for various reasons including, but not limited to, the imposition of varying environmental regulations, and therefore each has different costs associated with it. However, each customer within a given collection system pays the same sewer rates as every other customer in the same system.
Help2Others (H2O) North Shelby
SouthWest Water Company is pleased to offer its Help2Others (H2O) Assistance Program to qualifying SouthWest Water residential customers served by the North Shelby Utility. Qualified customers can obtain assistance with their wastewater treatment bill. The program is managed by United Way of Central Alabama, Inc. and all submissions are received, reviewed and approved by United Way’s Case Manager.
For program consideration, the combined household income cannot exceed 125% of the current Federal Poverty Guideline and the required documents must be submitted with the signed application form. All applications are sent directly to the Help2Others United Way Case Manager.
For complete details and application instructions, including program qualifications, please review the instructions included with the H2O Application Form:
