CUSTOMER SERVICE :: Technical Info/Fees :: BUILDER SERVICES

This information has been written for you, our customer, to help answer your questions about doing business with the Arlington Water Utilities Department, specifically regarding new construction, tying in to the water/sewer systems or changing your current service needs.  Of course, we always welcome your calls and will be glad to answer your questions and assist you in any way we can.

Residential Building

• Getting water and/or sewer for a new house in Arlington

We ask that you or your representative contact the Water Utilities Customer Services office and provide the following information: the address where you are building, the lot and block number, the subdivision name and the square footage of the living area.  We will also need the name and billing address for your account.  The Customer Services staff will quote you a cost that will cover any applicable water and/or sewer tap(s), meter fees, and/or impact fees.  After you have paid for these services, we will set up an account for you and begin billing you monthly.  If a new tap is necessary, you have the option of requesting that the city or an approved utility contractor make the water tap.  If the city does the work, it will usually take 14 working days to make the tap(s).  You can tie into the water/and or sanitary sewer system in Arlington.

• Service available

Instead of having a meter set during residential construction, a special account called "service available" is established.  We will bill you monthly for this service.  You are tied in directly with a spacer to the water without benefit of a meter to measure the water usage.  The charges using a 3/4" meter fixed monthly fee are as follows:  the first three months will be billed a fee equal to 6,000 gallons of water; the subsequent two months at 14,000 gallons, and all remaining months at 23,000 gallons until the water meter is set.  In cases where a spacer is not provided in the subdivision, it is your responsibility to make the installation of the spacer and future meter connections per the "Standard Specifications for Water and Sewer Construction" as published by the City of Arlington.  Sprinkling or other heavy water usage activities are prohibited before the meter is set.  Failure to comply will result in a penalty equal to 100,000 gallons.

• Getting a meter set

When you are ready to have your water meter set, please give the Customer Services staff a call.  We set all residential water meters.  However, the following must be met before we set the meter:

1. The water tap and yard line must be located in the meter box and in accordance with the "Standard Specifications for Water and Sewer Construction."
2. The meter box must be at final grade or yard level and not covered or out of the ground.  It is the builder's responsibility to ensure that the meter box is not damaged or covered during construction.  If the box or lid must be replaced, the builder must purchase and replace it.  It must be purchased from an independent supplier and be approved by the Arlington Water Utilities Department.  Please check with the Customer Services staff for the current approved vendors.
3. A sign must be posted in the yard or on the house identifying the property by street address and lot and block designation.
4. The request to set the water meter must be made to the Customer Services staff at least three full working days prior to its being set.  The final inspection of a residence will not be made until the water meter has been properly set.

Commercial Building

• Getting water and/or sewer to a new building in Arlington

We ask that you or your representative contact our office and provide the address where you are building.  You will need to pay for the appropriate water and/or sewer tap(s) and meter(s) as well as provide a name and billing address for your account.  You have the option of requesting that the city or an approved utility contractor make the water tap.  The sewer tap can also be made by the city or a licensed plumber.  If the city does the work, it will usually take 14 working days.

• Getting the meter set

When you are ready to have your water meter set, please give us a call.   We set all meters except the fire line detector checks.  The following conditions must be met before the meter can be set:

1. The water tap and yard line must be located in the meter box and in accordance with the "Standard Specifications for Water and Sewer Construction."
2. The meter box must be at final grade or yard level and not covered or out of the ground.  It is the builder's responsibility to insure that the meter box is not damaged or covered during construction.  If the meter box or lid is broken or misplaced, the builder must purchase and replace it.  It must be purchased from an independent supplier and be approved by the Arlington Water Utilities Department.
3. A sign must be posted on the building identifying the property by street address and lot and block designation.

Other Special Conditions

• Separating the sprinkler

To save on sewer charges, you may decide to install a separate meter for your sprinkler system.  You will need to decide what water tap size you need for the sprinkler system so it can handle the flow capacity.  After paying the appropriate fees, you will be given a blue wooden stake to place where you want the water tap to be made.  It has to be in the city right-of-way.  If you do not know what size you will need, contact your sprinkler system company or a plumber.  Either should be able to recommend what size tap you would need.  It will take the city about 14 working days to complete the job.  It will be your responsibility to separate your lines from your domestic meter to your sprinkler system.

• Adding another meter at a duplex

An owner of a duplex may decide to replace one meter with two meters so the tenants can each pay for their own water usage.  Once the applicable fee has been paid to the Water Utilities, we will give you a blue stake to place where you want the second water tap made and the meter set.  It has to be in the city right-of-way.  It will be your responsibility to have the lines separated from the duplex to the meters.

• From well water to city water

If you are on a well and city water is available at your property site, you may wish to tie into the city system.  If you are considering this, you should contact us and provide your address, legal description, and the size tap you will need.  The size will depend on what you intend to use the water for and how far your house or building sits from the road.  Once you have paid your fees, we will provide you with a blue wooden stake to place where you want the tap to be made.  It must be placed in the city right-of-way.  It will be your responsibility to run a line from your house or building to tie into the water tap and meter.  After you have paid the fees, we will set up an account for you or add water to your current account, whichever is applicable.   Before city service is established, all connections to the well system must be permanently severed from all city-connected lines.

• From septic tank to city sewer

If city sewer service is available at your property site, you may decide that you want to switch from a septic tank to the city sewer system.  Again, you should contact us and provide your address and legal description.  We will investigate to see if a sewer tap is already available and, if not, one will need to be made.  After you come in and pay the applicable fees, we will provide you with a green wooden stake.  It must be placed in the city right-of-way.  You can  either get a plumber to run the line from your house or building to the sewer tap or obtain a permit from the City of Arlington Building Inspections Department and do the work yourself.  Building Inspections will need to inspect the work before it is covered up.  After city connections have been made, you are required to fill your septic tank with sand.

• A sewer problem

If you are having a problem with a stopped-up sewer, call Arlington Water Utilities.  We will come out at no charge to you and check to see if the problem is in the city line.  If we find the problem is in your service line (which begins at the connection to the city's sewer main) it is your responsibility to have it repaired.  For a set fee, the city has a contractor that can repair that section for you up to your property line.

• Capping an existing service

These extra taps that will not be used should be capped to prevent damage caused by a leak or other hazardous situations.  A fee is charged to cap services.

• Downsizing meters

The Arlington Water Utilities Department bills a minimum amount according to the size water meter at a given address.  You may find that you have a larger meter than is needed to serve all your water needs at that location.  Therefore, you may downsize the meter to a smaller size.  If you have your service line reduced, we can reduce the city's side down to the smaller meter so it will fit together.  The city does not charge a fee for this service.

• Upsizing meters

Please call us to get more information about this service.

• Construction meter

A construction (or hydrant) meter can be used by connecting the meter to a fire hydrant within the city limits of Arlington.  This can be used for construction purposes or for a variety of temporary uses.  The applicable fees include a deposit and activation fee for the account, which are paid prior to picking up the meter.  It is your responsibility, as spelled out in the contract that you sign, to call in the reading every month for billing purposes.  Failure to do so will result in a penalty charge.

• Impact fees

Impact fees are charges for new connections to the water and/or sewer system.  They are collected from the customer/builder/owner (whichever individual is applicable) to recover a portion of the cost of capital facilities put in place to serve new customers.  The change from collecting front footage and acreage fees to collecting impact fees was mandated by Texas state legislation.

You may have other questions about building in Arlington that we have not addressed, and we welcome those questions.  Just let us know how we can help you.   If you are interested in a listing of current tap and related fees, we will be glad to provide that information to you.  We can also provide you with a list of the current approved contractors, at your request.

• Office locations

We welcome your business in Arlington and have two convenient locations.   Our Customer Services office on the north side is located on the first floor of City Hall at 101 West Abram Street.  Our south Customer Services office is located at the Arlington Water Utilities South Service Center at 1100 SW Green Oaks Boulevard.  Office hours for both locations are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Our telephone number exclusively for builder services is 817-459-6803.

• Goal

The goal of the Arlington Water Utilities Department is to provide the best possible service to all our customers.  If you feel that you have not received excellent service, please notify us so we can review our operations and make necessary adjustments.

We provide service without discrimination to a customer's race, nationality, color, religion, sex or marital status.

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