Frequently Asked Questions

What is a basic utility charge?
Basic Facilities Charges include the equipment, hardware and services a customer requires from a utility to receive sufficient and reliable electric and water supply: transformer, line(s), pole(s), meter(s), meter reading, billing, etc.

<< back to top of page

What method of payments do we accept?
Cash, Check, Money Order, Travelers Checks, Credit and Debit Cards to include (Visa, Master Card, and Discover) are accepted for payments. For your convenience we offer the Automatic Bank Draft Program to draft your payment from your bank account. For more information, please contact the Bank Draft Representative at 223-4134. Our PWC Website is capable of accepting Master Card, Visa, Discover, and Debit Card payments, click here for on-line payments.* You can visit our office located at 955 Old Wilmington Rd. to pay or use our night depository. For your convenience we have 11 Western Union locations in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County area that accept payments, click here for a complete list*. PWC can also accept check and credit card payments by phone at 483-1382*.
*Convenience fee applies.

<< back to top of page

How do I read my meter?
Electric meters come with dials or digital readouts. Digital meters are read from left to right.
For example: If the current reading is 46,397 and the previous reading was 46,347, then 50 kilowatts was used during this period. Dial meters should be read from right-to-left.
Always record the smaller number when the hand is between two numbers.
Always record one less than the hand indicates if the hand on the dial on the right is not past the "0".


Digital Meter	Dial Meter

<< back to top of page

What caused my bill to increase?

Electric Service (Confirm the reading)
Determine the type of electric heating system you have:
A. Electric Forced Air Furnace
B. Heat Pump
C. Baseboard Heaters
D. Ceiling Radiant Heat
E. Space Heaters

Electric Forced Air Furnaces and Heat Pumps:
If you have a forced air ducting system, forced air electric furnace or heat pump system the filter should be changed every month. Changing your filters periodically keeps dirt and dust out of your system. However, if not changed or cleaned depending on the type of filter, it can result in a higher than usual bill by not allowing the air to flow properly through the system. Also, leaking ducts reduce the efficiency of the system it is attached to.

Forced air electric furnaces and heat pumps have sequencers between the heating strips. In some cases, these devices may stick in the "on" position. This results in one or more strips staying on most of the time and can result in higher than normal usage during the winter months. To identify this problem, a customer can use the breaker panel and potentially catch the heater strip on. All the breakers should be cut off in the panel box, except the two for the heat pump or electric forced air heater. Then cut the thermostat down to prevent the system from coming on, go to the meter and watch the disk in the meter for several minutes. If the disk turns several times, stops for several minutes, then starts turning again, there is a strip stuck in the on position. Potential Solution: A Heating and Air Condition Technician may need to repair your system.

Low freon or refrigerant in a system and a self-defrosting heater strip malfunction can cause the outside condenser coil to freeze up, resulting in higher than usual billing. If the heat pump thermostat and replacement thermostat are not professionally replaced the strips will activate every time the system comes on to heat the home. Also, if the outside condensing fan motor stops working on a heat pump, the emergency strip heating is the only heat available. Straight electric strip heating is less efficient, therefore costing more to operate. Check the operation of the heat pump on a regular basis, set your thermostat at a comfortable setting and let it remain at the same temperature.

Air Conditioning:
If a forced air electric heater or heat pump strip is stuck in the "on" position, the system has to overcome the heat gain in the system in order to cool. The system will run more than normal and the customer will experience higher than normal billing. To verify the problem cut off all the breakers in the panel box, except the two for the air conditioner and heater or the two for the heat pump and turn the thermostat up, go to the meter and watch the disk. The disk should not turn. If you see the disk turning and all the breakers are off, except the two for the heat or air conditioner there may be a problem. To confirm the problem, cut the heating and air conditioning breakers off and check the meter to ensure it has stopped.

Potential Solution: A Heating and Air Conditioning Technician may need to check the system.

Baseboard Heaters and Radiant Ceiling Heat:
When the thermostats on baseboard heaters and radiant ceiling heat are set at 70 degrees, it will not turn the heater on until the temperature in the room reaches 65 degrees. Then the heater will not go off until the temperature in the room reaches 75 degrees. The ten-degree on and off sequence may result in abnormally higher billing. Also due to their design baseboard heater thermostats can stick and contribute to higher than normal bills.

Space Heaters:
Some houses and apartments are not designed to heat the interior with electric space heating, due to the electric supply and wiring originally installed Meter bases of lower amperes capacity overheat on one side of the meter, which damages metering equipment and the meter base socket, where the meter is plugged into. The wiring from the breakers to the receptacle could overheat and result in a breakdown and fire.

OTHER PROBLEMS:
A. Electric Hot Water Heaters
B. Refrigerators
C. Lighting

Electric Hot Water Heaters:
When taking a three or four minutes shower/bath the hot water turns cool because the bottom element in the hot water heater may be burnt out and the top element is heating all the water.
Potential Solution: An Electrician may need to check the hot water heater.

Refrigerators:
Does the refrigerator continuously run without shutting off?
Does the refrigerator freezer compartment not freeze foods solidly?
What is the thermostat on the refrigerator set on right now? Most refrigerator manufacturers recommend a setting of between three or four on the thermostat of the refrigerator or freezer, after the initial first twenty-four hours of operation. Since every refrigerator is different, find the lowest and best setting.
When the thermostat sticks and remains on, the refrigerator compressor never shuts off and on. Potential Solution: A Refrigerator Technician may need to replace the thermostat.
Sometimes self-defrosting refrigerators stick in the defrosting cycles, which result in the refrigerators running almost constantly. When the compressor kicks off, the defroster-heating element continues to operate. A noticeable result by the customer is that the ice will not freeze overnight.

Potential Solution: A Refrigerator Technician may need to check the refrigerator.

Lighting:
Even though lighting is not a principle factor for a high bill, changing standard incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs will help to reduce consumption. If a 60 watt bulb is used every day, you can save about $1.00 a month off the regular billing for each one you replace with a compact fluorescent.

WATER SERVICE :(CONFIRM THE READING)
A. Commodes
B. Other Problems

Commodes (Primary Problem with High Water and Sewer Cost)
A commode tank fills for five to ten seconds even though no one has used it.
Potential Solution: The flushing flapper in the tank may need to be replaced. Typically over time, the flapper becomes hard and does not seal properly.
Inspect the water level in the commode tank and adjust as needed.
Water constantly runs in the commode tank.

Potential Solution: Check the ball cock and flushing flapper.

OTHER PROBLEMS:
A. Leaking pipes
B. Swimming pool problems
C. Spigot running and dripping
D. Garden hose found burst or running

<< back to top of page

Why are PWC's sewer charges more than water charges?
Wastewater is collected and then treated in accordance with the sanitary sewer use ordinance of the City of Fayetteville. Sanitary sewer discharge charges are split into two parts-collection and treatment. Billing is made on a monthly basis and sanitary sewer is billed by the metered water service under the customer's assigned rate. Based on the cost of treating sanitary sewer, the operating expenses of the sewer treatment facility exceed the cost of the water treatment facility, resulting in the higher sewer rate.

<< back to top of page

When do we get our deposit back?
Deposits made to PWC by applicants will be reviewed and refunded for services if the following actions occur:

Why are customers charged a flat rate fee for Sanitary Sewer Use?
Flat monthly rates are used in billing residential sanitary sewer service where the customer receives all water requirements from sources other than from the water mains of the Public Works Commission.

Can I change my due date?
A customer's due date of a bill cannot be changed because PWC's territory is divided into eighteen areas. PWC field technicians read the meters on specified dates, statements are billed, mailed, due when rendered and are payable within fifteen days.

Does PWC allow co-signers?
PWC does not accept co-signers in lieu of a deposit.

Why am I charged for a streetlight?
This lighting is furnished by PWC based on the following criteria:

In both cases, the lighting is furnished at the request and under contract with the landowner, the developer, or the majority of homeowners in a specific area.