Frequently Asked Questions

Q. My bill seems higher than usual. Do I have a leak?

A. We recommend reviewing your last 15 months history of your water bills. If your bills have increased tremendously, it may be due to a leak. Check all faucets for drips. Check your toilets. Check the yard from the meter box to your residence, beneath your home, flower beds, your backyard and nearby ditches for standing or running water. If you cannot find a leak, call our customer service office for assistance.

Q. If my water is disconnected due to non-payment, do I have to come into the office to have it restored?

A. No.  If you have a good credit history, we do accept payments by telephone by speaking directly to a customer service representative using your MasterCard, Discover, Visa, American Express, by check to restore services or you can make your payment at a Western Union payment location that provides "Quick Collect" service.  To find a Western Union agent near you click on the link http://www.westernunion.com/us/en/agent-locator.html - click on the "Quick Collect" box only for Western Union services, enter your zip code and then click "GO" to get a list of authorized agents near you.  We are notified when you make a payment to your account via Western Union and we will contact you during regular business hours to set up the reconnection of water service.  Please be advised that there is a Western Union convenience fee when using these payment methods.  If you do not have a valid credit card, if your checking account has insufficient funds or if you have a poor credit history, you will have to come to the customer service office or a payment location and provide a cash or money order payment to have your water service restored.

Q. Where are you located?

A. Our local customer service offices and/or payment locations are as follows:

  • Crowley Service Area – LAWCO Customer Service Office, 407 S. Avenue G, Crowley, LA
  • DeQuincy Service Area – LAWCO Customer Service Office, 401 East 4th Street, DeQuincy, LA
  • Eunice Service Area – LAWCO Customer Service Office, 251 E. Vine Street, Eunice, LA
  • Lecompte Service Area – LAWCO Water Treatment Plant, 1102 Wall Street, Lecompte, LA
  • Mansura Service Area – LAWCO Water Treatment Plant, 2114 Cleco Street, Mansura, LA
  • New Iberia & Loreauville Service Areas – LAWCO Customer Service Office, 448 E. Main Street, New Iberia, LA

Q. If I paid to have service restored today, what time can I expect my water to be reconnected?

A. We try to restore water service the same day the payment is received in our office. Our servicemen reconnect service until approximately 8:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday, except holidays. If there are a large number of reconnect orders, it may be after that time.

Q. How do I test my toilet for a leak?

A. We recommend placing 8 – 10 drops of food coloring in the tank of the toilet (not the bowl) and wait for 1 – 2 hours, not flushing the toilet during that time. If the food coloring appears in the bowl, you have a leak in the flapper at the bottom of the tank that is allowing water to seep through.

Q. Is my meter read every month?

A. YES. A meter reader is sent to read your meter each month. The electronic reading devices are designed to check or audit the readings during the input mode based on your consumption history to ensure and verify meter reading accuracy. We also have a meter reading audit program that checks meter readings when they are downloaded into the billing system and compares them to your consumption history and identifies any readings with high or low consumption for further checks to verify and confirm reading accuracy before bills are mailed. When a physical barrier or condition renders the meter inaccessible or unreadable, a bill will be generated based on average historical usage data until the problem can be resolved. 

Q. When will my automated payment post to my account?  Why can't  I pay online or through automated service?

A. Your payment may take up to 48 hours to post to your account if you use any of our automated services, Smartbill or payment centers, however, we are notified when you make a payment to your account.  If your account is pending a disconnection we are notified when you make a payment to your account and will cancel the disconnect order if not already processed.  If your account is disconnected for non-payment, we are notified when you make a payment to your account via Western Union and we will contact you during regular business hours to set up the reconnection of water service.  Customers using their personal bank's bill pay services should verify the process of how and when payments are remitted.  Payments are not always remitted electronically and may take several days to be received and posted to the customer's account, receiving a confirmation number does not confirm an immediate payment to the water company.  Customers with a poor credit history may be blocked from using automated payment service programs.

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Water Usage Tips

Recycle DropDrinking sufficient water daily aids in weight loss and overall good health.