FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions
Treated Drinking Water | Irrigation Water | Getting Water | Water Storage | FAQ's | Water Facts | Water Efficiency | Water Emergency | Weed Control- How can I pay my water bill?
- What about water for my rental property?
- How is my bill calculated?
- Is NID water fluoridated?
- How do I keep my pipes from freezing?
- Does my water meter need to be visible?
- This has been a wet year. Will my water rates go down?
- Will I always have irrigation water on the April 15 opening of the irrigation season?
- How do I know if I’m using the right amount of water on my crops?
- What's an acre-foot?
You may pay by cash, check or electronic fund transfer (go to forms & documents)
- Pay by mail using the return envelope accompanying your water bill
- Pay in person at the NID Business Center, 1036 West Main Street, Grass Valley, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
- Pay at either of two Placer County drop boxes, 1) outside the gate at the NID North Auburn Water Treatment Plant, 12200 Locksley Lane in North Auburn, or 2) the Pak’n Save Market, 2500 Bell Road in Auburn (box located near store entry).
- Set up an automatic payment program through your bank.
What about water for my rental property?
A signed service application from the property owner is required. You may contact NID Customer Service to request a Landowner Consent to Tenant Billing, which will allow your tenant to receive water billings.
If you use piped, treated water, your bill is based on a minimum rate, depending on meter size. Water usage is calculated in hundred cubic feet (hcf). 1 hcf equals about 748 gallons of water.
If you use irrigation water, you will purchase water on a seasonal basis. Some customers purchase both summer and winter water. NID irrigation water is measured by the miner’s-inch, a historic water measurement that goes back to the Gold Rush. A miner’s-inch equals 11.22 gallons per minute, on a 24-hour per day basis.
No. There has not been strong support among district customers for adding fluoride to NID treated water supplies. Some water suppliers, primarily in metropolitan areas, add fluoride to public water as a way to reduce tooth decay, primarily in young people. Many more water suppliers have not moved to fluoridation. NID has not taken a position for or against fluoride. Parents concerned about the dental health of their children may wish to consider fluoride tablets.
How do I keep my pipes from freezing?
NID recommends that customers insulate all exposed outdoor pipes and faucets against winter’s chill. Frozen pipes can lead to loss of water and costly repairs. Inexpensive pipe wrap is available from local building supply stores.
Does my water meter need to be visible?
NID treated water customers are asked to keep vegetation trimmed around their water meter boxes. Meters that are easily accessible save time for NID meter readers, help keeps costs down for the district and help with more accurate meter readings.
This has been a wet year. Will my water rates go down?
Drought or deluge, NID must be prepared. Costs for service continue. In cases of extreme drought, such as in the mid-1970s, water sales suffer yet service must continue. In very wet years, the district has faced rising costs for repair of flood and water damage. Overall costs of water service can be affected as much by too much water as by too little water.
Will I always have irrigation water on the April 15 opening of the irrigation season?
The NID irrigation season runs from on or about Apr. 15 to on or about Oct. 14. Canal flows are based on crop needs and weather conditions. If crops do not need water, the water may be wasted. In addition, canals cannot handle both irrigation flows and storm runoff, so operation, especially early in the season, is based on storm patterns. Prudent management allows more water to be kept in storage for use when needed.
How do I know if I’m using the right amount of water on my crops?
On the average, irrigated pasture requires about one-half miners-inch of water per acre but this can vary. NID assists customers in this area through use of specialized computer programs that use localized soil and climate data. These programs are designed to evaluate your irrigation system, your irrigation schedule or home landscape plan. Call NID’s Operations Department at (530) 273-6185.
Knowledge of water measurements can help you understand how your water bill
is computed, how fast a canal flows and how much water a reservoir holds.
Here are some common water equivalents:
1 cubic foot 7.48 gallons
100 cubic feet 748 gallons
1 cubic foot per second (CFS) 450 gallons per minute
1 CFS 646,360 gallons per day
1 million gallons 3.07 acre-feet
1 miner’s-inch 11.22 gallons per minute
1 acre-foot 1 acre of land covered 1 foot deep