Welcome new customer! We know you’ll find Highland’s Rates comparable or lower than other similarly sized authorities, but you’ll find our Service and our Water Quality is second to none.
Regardless if you’re building a new home or business or moving into an existing structure please be advised that Highland’s service begins with a “Capacity” assessment to determine how much (Gallons Per Day/gpd) Water Service as well as Sewer Service you will require. That projected usage is converted to the corresponding “EDU” value and charges applied accordingly. All Single Family Homes are considered One (1) EDU. The term “EDU” stands for “Equivalent Dwelling Unit” and represents the average daily flow from a typical single household, factoring-in local population data. If you are moving into an existing home no capacity fees/charges apply. You’ll simply make application for service and be charged the appropriate Monthly Bill. However, Commercial, Industrial or multi-residential customers most often must pay CAPACITY fees representing multiple EDUs. If new service connections are required there are certain CONNECTION charges, which are determined by their size and the location. Finally, if none previously was installed a METER fee would apply.
Your MONTHLY SERVICE BILL is based on usage (gallons). Highland bills each month and reads its water meters bi-monthly for most all of its customers. Higher usage customers, such as Commercial or Industrial customers, are read each month and billed each month. If you are a WATER only customer your monthly water bill reflects that month’s charges for WATER SERVICE based on our declining-block rate schedule (CLICK).
Please be aware that Highland, while we have a rather extensive Sewer Collection and Transportation pipeline network, does not own or operate a Wastewater Treatment Plant. Instead, Highland’s sewer pipeline network is connected to three (3) separately owned and operated downstream systems that further Transport and ultimately provide SEWAGE TREATMENT for Highland customers. As such, if you are a Highland Sewer customer you will get a monthly sewer bill, for “Collection and Transportation” from Highland based on our declining-block rate schedule (CLICK) and a monthly sewer bill (for additional transportation and Treatment) from one of those three downstream providers (Windber Area Authority, Johnstown Sewer System or Forest Hills Municipal Authority). Currently Highland provides the billing services for Windber Area Authority and their charge is shown as a separate line item on your monthly “Water & Sewer Bill”. The other two downstream providers do their own billing and one or the other will mail you a monthly bill. Highland has no control over the sewer rates charged by those Sewage Treatment providers.
Welcome!
