WATER

The Department of Public Works oversees the infrastructure for the Elkhart Lake Water Utility, while the Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer’s Office processes the water billing.

The Village of Elkhart Lake’s groundwater supply comes from two deep wells. Annually the Water Utility pumps approximately 60 million gallons of water. The Water Utility manages and repairs over 69,000 feet of water lines within the Village and there are approximately 590 water services in the Village. The Elkhart Lake Water Utility serves approximately 645 customers in the Village of Elkhart Lake.

Water Rates & Billing

The Water Utility sends bills out quarterly in conjunction with the sewer bills. The bills are mailed on approximately the 15th of January, April, July, and October. The current water volume rates are as follows:

• First 3,000 cu. ft. per quarter – $2.18 per 100 cu. ft. + meter chg.
• Next 17,000 cu. ft. per quarter – $1.88 per 100 cu. ft. + meter chg.
• Next 30,000 cu. ft. per quarter – $1.52 per 100 cu. ft. + meter chg.
• Over 50,000 cu. ft. per quarter – $1.17 per 100 cu. ft. + meter chg.

The current water meter charges per quarter are as follows:

• 5/8" meters – $20.23 per quarter
• 3/4" meters – $20.23 per quarter
• 1" meters – $24.83 per quarter
• 1 1/4" meters – $31.92 per quarter
• 1 1/2" meters – $39.02 per quarter
• 2" meters – $63.05 per quarter
• 3" meters – $117.07 per quarter
• 4" meters – $177.36 per quarter

Please contact the Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at (920) 876-2122 or clerk@elkhartlakewi.gov if you have questions related to water billing.

Automatic Bill Paying

If you would like to sign up for automatic bill paying (ACH) of your water bills, please contact the Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at (920) 876-2122 or clerk@elkhartlakewi.gov.

Cross Connection Inspections

The Village will be putting more emphasis on inspecting homes and businesses for cross connections in the water system. The DNR requires that all homes and businesses are inspected for cross-connection.

What is cross-connection?

Cross-connection is an actual or potential connection between the safe drinking water supply and a source of contamination of pollution. State plumbing codes require approved backflow prevention methods to be installed at every point of potable water connection and use. Cross-connections must be properly protected or eliminated.

How does contamination occur?

When you turn on your faucet, you expect the water to be as safe as when it left the treatment plant or well. However, certain hydraulic conditions left unprotected within your plumbing system may allow hazardous substances to contaminate your own drinking water or the public water supply. Water normally forms in one direction; however, under certain conditions, water can actually flow backwards. This is known as backflow. Backsiphonage or backpressure may cause the water to flow backwards. Backsiphonage may occur dur to a loss of pressure in the municipal water system during a fire fighting emergency, a water main break, or system repair. This creates a siphon in your plumbing system which can draw water out of a sink or bucket and back into your water or the public water system. Backpressure may be created when a source of pressure (such as a boiler) creates a pressure greater than the pressure supplied from the public water system. This may cause contaminated water to be pushed into your plumbing system through an unprotected cross-connection.

In most cases where can cross connection issues occur?

In the bathroom with handheld shower fixtures and toilet tanks and in the kitchen.

How can you protect your drinking water?

Do…

• Keep the ends of hoses clear of all possible contaminants.
• Make sure dishwashers are installed with a proper “air gap” device.
• Verify and install a simple hose bibb vacuum breaker on all threaded faucets around your home.
• Make sure water treatment devices such as water softeners have the proper “air gap”, which is a minimum of one inch above any drain.

Don’t…

• Submerge hoses in buckets, pools, tubs, sinks or ponds.
• Use spray attachments without a backflow prevention device.
• Connect waste pipes from water softeners or other treatment systems directly to the sewer or submerged drain pipe. Always be sure there is a one inch “air gap” separation.

If you have questions on cross-connection please contact Pat Zorn at the Village garage at 920-876-2231.

I’m Moving - What Should I do with my Water/Sewer?

If you move in or out of a residence in the Village, please contact the Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at (920) 876-2122 to allow for a final water meter reading and to provide the new billing information. After we receive the reading, the Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer’s Office will provide a final bill to the old owners and put the bill in the new owner’s name.

Issues with Water

If you are experiencing any issues with water pressure, discoloration, smell, or other problems, please contact our Public Works Department at 920-876-2231 or the Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at 920-876-2122.

Water Quality

The Village is always testing its water for contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Elkhart Lake Water Utility annually files a Consumer Confidence Report about the water quality in the Village. The 2021 Consumer Confidence Report can be found here.

Lead Pipe Material Inventory

In 2021 there were new federal requirements for Lead and Cooper identification within public water systems. As part of these rules the Village has had to identify the pipe materials within our water system. Click here to see the information on the Village of Elkhart Lake’s Lead Pipe Inventory. For a searchable document Click here