Water Authority

This article guides Autauga County residents and property owners through how the Autauga County Water Authority (ACWA) works, how to start or transfer service, the full set of payment options, where to find current rates and service alerts, and how to review official water-quality reports. You’ll also learn how rules and agreements apply to everyday service, what to expect around holidays and board meetings, and practical steps to detect household leaks and conserve water. At the end, you’ll find an at-a-glance list of ACWA offices and contact numbers.

Know Your Water Authority: What ACWA Does and How It Serves Autauga County

The Autauga County Water Authority is the local public utility entrusted with supplying safe, reliable drinking water to its customers across Autauga County, Alabama. ACWA maintains source, treatment, and distribution responsibilities that underpin daily life—supporting households, schools, and local businesses while meeting state and federal drinking-water standards. To keep residents fully informed, ACWA publishes official documents, posts urgent notices for service interruptions or boil advisories when needed, offers transparent rate information, and outlines the rules that govern service accounts. These public-facing resources—rates, regulations, consumer confidence reports, alerts, and service applications—exist to reduce guesswork for customers and give clear, authoritative answers when you need them most.

When you’re new to the area, upgrading a property, or coordinating a move, you’ll find that ACWA centralizes its most important materials for quick access: applications for new service, the user agreement that governs all accounts, multiple bill-payment methods, the latest water-quality report, and an official contact page that includes the main office location, mailing address, and service hours. You can also review the Authority’s meeting schedule and holiday observances so you know when administrative offices are closed and when governing decisions are discussed in public.

For public health matters that intersect with drinking-water safety—such as private well questions, on-site sanitation topics, or information on community health services—residents can coordinate with the county’s health authorities. An accessible local starting point for health-related topics connected to safe water use is the Autauga County Health Department page on our site, which is linked later in this article for convenience.

Start or Transfer Water Service Without Hassle

Step-by-step: Prepare your application, then submit the official form

Beginning service is straightforward if you assemble the basics first. Make sure you have service address details, occupant/owner information, and any supporting documents requested in ACWA’s service materials. Then complete the official New Service Application. Submitting the correct application ensures your account is created correctly and avoids service delays. If you’re transferring service within the county, you’ll use the same central application process and follow any additional instructions noted by ACWA for final readings and start dates.

Understand the Water Users Agreement before you sign

All ACWA customers are bound by a user agreement that clarifies responsibilities on both sides—how billing works, how meters are read, customer obligations for service lines past the meter, and how disputes or service terminations are handled. Before you finalize your application, review the Water Users Agreement referenced on ACWA’s site so you know how deposits, adjustments, and account changes are administered. Knowing these expectations upfront prevents surprises later and helps you plan for seasonal usage, irrigation needs, and extended travel.

Check holiday closures and board schedules when planning move-ins

If you’re timing a move-in around a holiday or during a week with a board meeting, consult ACWA’s posted holiday schedule and board meeting calendar. Observing these dates helps you set realistic expectations for in-person paperwork or same-day start requests and ensures you plan for any office closures. Scheduling ahead—especially during busy moving seasons—keeps the start-of-service process smooth.

Pay Your Bill the Way That Fits Your Routine

Choose a payment method that matches how you budget

Customers can pay online, by phone, in person, or by mail. Each method is designed to meet different needs—some residents value 24/7 online access, while others prefer dropping a check at the office counter or using the mail. ACWA’s Payment Options page outlines each method clearly, including the address for mailed checks, the physical office location for in-person payments, and the official phone channel for automated card or check payments. If you rely on your bank’s bill-pay service, confirm that your mailed check includes the correct account number and that you allow sufficient mailing time to avoid late payments.

For predictable household budgets, consider recurring payments (where available) or calendar reminders aligned with your billing cycle. If you need to update your telephone number for account verification and phone payments, ACWA provides a standing reminder to keep your number current on file, which improves service accuracy and security for phone-based transactions.

Tips for avoiding payment hiccups

Always include your full account number with checks to prevent misapplied payments.

Mail early if relying on postal delivery; ACWA notes it is not responsible for payments lost in the mail.

For phone or online payments, confirm you’re using the official payment channels linked from ACWA’s site.

If you change banks or cards, update your payment information promptly and watch your next bill to confirm the change took effect.

Keep your mailing address current with ACWA, especially if you use seasonal addresses.

Find Prices and Plan Your Usage: Rates, Minimums, and Tiers

Review current charges before you irrigate or fill a pool

Water costs can vary by usage tier, meter size, or other scheduling factors set by the Authority. Before you take on seasonal lawn irrigation, renovation projects, or fill a new pool, review the current water rates. Understanding how usage blocks work helps you plan. For households installing irrigation systems or smart timers, knowing when and how your usage climbs across tiers can make a real difference in the bill you’ll see next month.

How to use rates to optimize your monthly bill

Track your highest-use months and compare them to rainfall; consider reducing irrigation cycles during wetter weeks.

Inspect for silent leaks (toilets and irrigation valves are common culprits) since even small, constant flows add up across billing periods.

If your property will be vacant, shut off irrigation programs and consider closing indoor supply valves to protect against undetected leaks.

Stay Informed in Real Time: Service Alerts, Outages, and Notices

Bookmark official alerts for accurate, timely updates

Infrastructure maintenance, emergency repairs, or weather events can trigger temporary service interruptions or pressure changes. When timelines matter, rely on ACWA’s Notices & Alerts page for authoritative information and safety instructions. This is where the Authority centralizes reminders, precautionary notices, and any boil-water advisories. Because alerts are posted promptly and updated as crews make progress, checking this page keeps you aligned with the most current guidance—particularly during severe weather or countywide infrastructure work.

Use alerts to coordinate your household and small business plans

If you operate a home-based business, care for infants or older adults, or run water-dependent equipment (from softeners to ice machines), using ACWA’s alert feed helps you plan around low-pressure windows or temporary discoloration after line flushing. It also lets you time laundry, dishwashing, and irrigation to avoid peak repair windows.

Know the Standards: Customer Rules, Service Responsibilities, and Agreements

Read the official rules to prevent misunderstandings

ACWA publishes the governing policies that apply to accounts, meter access, tampering prohibitions, disconnection processes, and payment timelines. Reviewing the ACWA Rules & Regulations gives you a working understanding of service obligations on both sides—what you can expect from the Water Authority, and what the Authority expects from you as a customer.

Key areas to pay attention to include:

Meter access and property responsibilities: What portions of the service line belong to the customer, and how access to meters must be maintained for accurate readings and maintenance.

Billing and collections procedures: How bills are issued, when they’re due, and what happens if payments are late or returned.

Tampering and unauthorized connections: Clear prohibitions that protect system integrity and public safety.

Disconnection and reconnection protocols: The steps, notices, and any fees associated with service restoration.

Understand the Water Users Agreement before a dispute arises

The Water Users Agreement works hand-in-hand with the rules. It sets expectations on deposits, billing cycles, meter tests, adjustments, and other account-level matters. Reviewing the agreement when you open your account tends to solve issues before they start. If you have questions about any clause, the best practice is to reach out through the official contact channel linked later in this article for clarification.

Confirm Water Quality: Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)

Use the CCR as your annual quality benchmark

Each year, ACWA publishes a Consumer Confidence Report that summarizes water sources, sampling results, and compliance with drinking-water standards. This is your official snapshot of local water quality. The 2025 Consumer Confidence Report page provides the most recent findings available on ACWA’s site, and the site also archives prior years so you can compare trends across reporting periods. If you’re evaluating water for sensitive uses (infant formula, medical equipment, or home dialysis), the CCR is the first document to review, followed by a call to ACWA if you need clarification about any specifics.

Why the CCR matters for homeowners and renters

Source transparency: The report explains where your water comes from and the protections around those sources.

Compliance verification: It shows how ACWA’s monitoring results compare to regulatory limits.

Health guidance: It lists informational notes for vulnerable populations when applicable and points to additional resources on water safety.

If you use in-home filtration, the CCR helps you choose filters designed to address the parameters that matter locally, rather than guessing based on national advertising.

Detect and Prevent Costly Leaks: Household Water-Loss Tactics

Start with your meter and common indoor fixtures

ACWA provides an educational resource on water loss that helps residents visualize how even small leaks add up over a billing cycle. Use the meter test: when all fixtures are off, observe the low-flow indicator on your meter. Movement suggests a leak somewhere on the property side. Next, focus on:

Toilets: A worn flapper can leak quietly for months. Drop dye in the tank and see if color appears in the bowl without flushing.

Irrigation systems: Stuck valves, cracked lateral lines, or misaligned spray heads are common culprits, especially after freezing weather.

Water heaters and softeners: Check drain pans, relief valves, and bypass valves for signs of constant flow.

Humidifiers and ice makers: Small supply lines can leak slowly and are easy to overlook behind appliances.

Fix outdoor inefficiencies before summer peaks

Pressure-washing, car washing, and lawn maintenance all push usage higher. Verify hose bibs are closing fully and consider installing a simple shut-off timer on irrigation hoses. Reposition sprinkler heads to avoid watering driveways and sidewalks, and audit your schedule when the weather cools—many systems continue running at summer levels long after they’re needed.

Plan Around Office Hours, Holidays, and Board Meetings

Use posted schedules to time in-person business

Administrative offices observe county holiday schedules and publish planned closures so residents can plan around them. If you need to drop off forms, pick up documents, or address a billing question in person, check the Authority’s posted holiday schedule before you drive. Similarly, board meeting schedules are posted to inform the public about meeting dates. Reviewing these calendars is helpful when you’re tracking decisions on rates, major projects, or policy updates.

When to choose online or phone channels instead

If you’re working against a closure window or need late-evening flexibility, online and phone options are designed to keep routine tasks moving. Payments can be completed after hours; alerts and CCR information are available around the clock; and service applications can be reviewed on the site so you arrive prepared if an in-person visit is necessary later.

Build a Reliable Paper Trail: Forms, Authorizations, and Agreements

Keep copies of everything you sign

Whether it’s a new service application, a user agreement, or an ACH authorization, keep a copy of each document for your records. If you later need to verify a payment method, challenge an erroneous charge, or confirm your consent for an automatic draft, having the signed form ready makes resolution faster. When you change banks, move, or add a co-occupant, check whether ACWA recommends updating any forms to keep your account accurate.

ACH and bank-draft tips

If you use bank drafts, confirm the first deduction posts as expected and keep an eye on your next paper or e-bill for confirmation. If a draft fails due to a bank change, act quickly to avoid late fees or service interruptions. When in doubt, contact ACWA using the official contact route linked later in this article to update your payment authorization.

Solve Common Customer Scenarios the Right Way

Moving in or out

Move-in: Submit your application early, confirm any deposit requirements, and ensure safe access to the meter on your first day of service.

Move-out: Request a final reading, follow instructions for closing the account, and provide a forwarding address for your final bill or refund.

Irrigation season

Review rate structures before peak season, test backflow assemblies as required by regulations, and verify you’re not watering during repairs or flushing in your area (watch the alerts page).

Extended travel or seasonal homes

Shut off the main interior valve or water heater as appropriate, turn off irrigation programs, and consider a trusted neighbor check-in after freeze events.

Water quality questions

Start with the current CCR, verify any home filtration recommendations against the report, and contact ACWA if you need help interpreting a parameter that pertains to your household.

Strengthen Household Resilience: Water Safety, Hygiene, and Public Health Coordination

Partner with local health resources when questions go beyond utility service

While ACWA ensures safe, compliant drinking water at the tap, you may have questions that cross into public health—like private well maintenance, septic system considerations, or community immunization clinics after severe weather. For these broader topics, residents can consult the Autauga County Health Department page on our site to navigate to county health services that complement ACWA’s responsibilities. Coordinating water utility guidance with public-health information creates a more complete plan for your household.

Build a basic emergency water plan

Storms, extended power outages, and regional disasters are rare but worth planning for. Store bottled water or have containers ready to fill if the Authority issues a precautionary notice. Keep a small supply of water purification tablets or a home filtration pitcher on hand, and review ACWA’s official alert page during and after severe weather to follow the latest guidance.

Use Official Channels to Get Help Fast

When to call, when to visit, and when to go online

Online: Best for reading the latest alerts, checking current rates, completing service applications, and reviewing the CCR or rules.

Phone: Convenient for payments, quick account questions, or to verify that your contact details are up to date for automated phone payments.

In person: Ideal when you need to deliver original forms, discuss account adjustments, or coordinate a complex move-in/out with meter access considerations.

Save time by bringing the right information

If you’re visiting the office, bring your government-issued ID, your account number (if you’re an existing customer), property address, and any supporting paperwork (purchase agreement, lease, or property management authorization). For mailed payments, include the correct account number on the check and allow adequate mailing time. For phone payments, have your account number and payment method ready before you call to streamline the process.

Keep Tabs on Opportunities and Community Engagement

Job openings and public service

From time to time, ACWA posts job openings for operational, administrative, and customer service roles. Working for a public water authority means serving the community while gaining experience in infrastructure, compliance, and customer care. If you’re interested in a utility career, monitor ACWA’s website for the latest postings. Likewise, following the board meeting schedule gives residents a predictable way to hear about projects, discuss policy changes, and provide input on the future of local water service.

Water Authority Departments and Offices — Addresses and Phone Numbers

Autauga County Water Authority — Main Office — 2010 County Road 57, Prattville, AL 36067 — Phone: (334) 365-2804 — Fax: (334) 365-5587

Autauga County Water Authority — Mailing Address — PO Box 680294, Prattville, AL 36068 — Phone: (334) 365-2804

Autauga County Water Authority — Pay by Phone — Phone: (844) 738-0924

Autauga County Water Authority FAQs

How do I start, move, or stop service for a property in Autauga County?

Use the official New Service Application to open or transfer residential service; the form is posted on the Authority’s site and outlines what must be submitted for account setup and scheduling. Before applying, review the Water Users Agreement and related policies so you understand deposits, meter access requirements, and account responsibilities that apply once service is active. For timing around office closures or governance dates, refer to the posted holiday and board schedules on the site. See the New Service Application.

Where do I find current water rates, minimums, and bill calculation details?

The Authority publishes its official rate schedule, including minimum charges and usage tiers, on a dedicated page that is updated when rates change. Reviewing this page before higher-use activities—such as irrigation or filling pools—helps you anticipate how consumption will translate into your next statement. Access Rates.

Where can I read the latest water-quality results for Autauga County?

The current Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) presents sources, sampling results, and compliance information for the most recent reporting year, with links to prior reports for historical comparison. Use the CCR to confirm local water-quality parameters that matter for infant care, medical devices, or filtration choices at home. Read CCR 2025.