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Events

National Drinking Water Week 2021

Happy National Drinking Water Week! This year Water Week will be celebrated from Sunday, May 2, through Saturday, May 8. Charlotte Water will be celebrating by recognizing some of our various divisions who help to exemplify this year’s theme: there when you need it. Each member of our staff plays a role in providing drinking water to the community, and we’re excited to share some examples of a “day in the life” of some of our hardworking staff members.

This year we have also partnered with Carolina Raptor Center and will be kicking off Water Week with a free Trail Day at their center! Be sure to follow us on social media to stay up to date on all things Water Week, and check out the line up below for the week.

Saturday, May 1

What: Trail Day at Carolina Raptor Center (Free admission)
When: 10am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 4pm
Where: 6000 Sample Rd. Huntersville, NC 28078

Visit their Water Day website for more information: http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/visit/waterweek/

Sunday May 2

Official start to this year’s National Drinking Water Week!

Visit AWWA to learn more about National Drinking Water Week and its history: https://www.awwa.org/Events-Education/Drinking-Water-Week

Monday, May 3 through Saturday, May 8

This year’s theme for National Drinking Water Week is that water is “there when you need it” – and we are grateful for just that. We are grateful for our staff who work hard behind the scenes every day to keep it that way. It takes a whole team of staff members who contribute to each step of the process to ensure everyone has safe and reliable water every day.

Throughout the week, we will highlight some of our dedicated staff members to show our appreciation and give you a glimpse into a “day in the life” of the work they do. Each day we will spotlight a staff member, and some will even take over our Instagram stories – so be sure to follow along on social media!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn

Here are the staff members that will be featured during Water Week:

Throughout the week we will also highlight a variety of fun activities for kids of all ages, listed below.

For more educational activities, you can also visit our Distance Learning blog article.

Events

Sunshine Week 2021

This week, we celebrate Sunshine Week, a week established 15 years ago to promote transparency by bringing awareness to public records and their availability to residents. In honor of Sunshine Week, our Records Program Administrator, Laura Runge, shares some insights on our Records Management Team and their work.

Charlotte Water’s Records Management Team is proud of our department’s commitment to open communication and transparency. We consistently find people across the department who are prompt and willing to help identify the information a resident has requested. In 2020 alone, Charlotte Water had over 100 formal public record requests, and on average, we were able to fulfill those requests in just five calendar days!

All records maintained by Charlotte Water are available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by law. Although most information is public and subject to disclosure, some information is considered protected. For example, we are obligated to protect such things as customer billing information, sensitive public security information, and components of personnel files. 

To request information, we ask that you complete the Public Records Request Form available at https://charlottenc.gov/PublicRecords. Your request will be tracked and you can even view the status of your request as it is assigned, collected, and fulfilled. As a rule, we respond to all requests for information as quickly as possible. While some requests are more complex and require extra time, Charlotte Water on average fulfills a request in 5-7 days. 

Billing, Events

Utility Scam Awareness Day

Many electric, water, and natural gas customers throughout the country are being targeted by impostor utility scams each day. Scammers typically use phone, in-person, and online tactics to target customers. One of the most common types of utility scams involves customers receiving unsolicited telephone, electronic, or in-person communications from an individual claiming to be a utility company representative. The scammer warns that the customer’s electric, water, or natural gas service will be disconnected or shut off if the customer fails to make an immediate payment—typically using a reloadable prepaid debit card or other non-traceable form of payment. Scammers often use valid-looking phone numbers, graphics, uniforms, and other forms of fraudulent identification.

Common scam tactics include:
  • Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively tell a customer their utility bill is past due, and service will be disconnected—usually within an hour—if a payment is not made.
  • Request for immediate payment: Scammers might instruct a customer to purchase a prepaid card, cryptocurrency, or to send funds via a mobile app to make a bill payment.
  • Request for prepaid card or payment through certain mobile apps: Customers are instructed to pay with a prepaid debit card. The impostor asks for the prepaid card’s number, which grants instant access to the card’s funds. More recently, customers have also been instructed to send a payment through a mobile app. Charlotte Water currently does not accept payments through the Cash App, Venmo or Zelle apps. However, customers can make payments on Charlotte Water payment portal by visiting charlottewater.org.
  • Personal information: During the COVID-19 crisis, criminals are promising to mail refund checks for over-payments on their accounts if they can confirm their personal data, including birthdays and, in some cases, Social Security numbers.
Tips to Avoid Scams:
  • Protect your personal information: Charlotte Water will have your relevant personal and account information. Never provide or confirm personal information such as Social Security number or bank account information.
  • Take your time: If someone calls or appears saying you have to pay your bill immediately, tell them you would like to verify that they are a legitimate utility company. Call 311 or 704-336-7600 to verify the contact.
  • Always ask questions: Ask the person calling you or visiting you in person to provide you with your account number, your last payment amount, date of payment and his/her employee ID number. If he/she is a legitimate utility representative, this information will be readily accessible.
  • Don’t let them inside: Charlotte Water staff have no reason to enter your home. Meters are located outside.
  • Pay your utility only: Never make a utility bill payment to anyone calling you on the phone, coming to your door, texting you, or emailing you. Always call your utility company at the number provided on your bill. Charlotte Water (at the City of Charlotte) can be contacted by dialing 311 or 704-336-7600.

For more information visit utilitiesunited.org or charlottewater.org.

Updates

How to Report Unauthorized Hydrant Use

Is a company using a fire hydrant on your street?

If so look for the green hydrant decal. This decal is proof that they are authorized to use the hydrant and pay for the water they use. 

CLTWater maintains more than 17,600 hydrants throughout the county. The Charlotte Fire Department and CLTWater periodically use hydrants for fire response, water quality concerns, testing, and to serve contractors and other vendors.

Authorized Users are:

  • Street cleaning vehicles, irrigation trucks, and vendors with truck-mounted tanks that have a hydrant decal on the back of the tank or truck.
  • Fire Departments
  • CLTWater staff

If you see a use of a hydrant, please:
1. Look for yellow hydrant decal on the back of the tank or truck. If there is one, then it is likely authorized. If people are behaving suspiciously then proceed with below steps.

2. Write down

– Name of the company on truck

– License tag number

– Location of hydrant

– Time of the illegal usage.

3. Take a photo if possible.

4. Call 311 or 704-336-7600 and ask to speak to CLTWater Customer Service Dispatch.

Note: Hydrants may also have a device attached to them. These are temporary hydrant meters that help us accurately bill water use. Learn more at charlottewater.org or call 311 or 704-336-7600.