Utilities
The City of Obetz receives water from several sources including its own water treatment facility. Obetz maintains its own water treatment facility and Utilities Department. All wastewater is treated by the City of Columbus; however, the City is responsible for maintaining the sewer system. If you have a water or sewer emergency, please call 614-491-5733.
Utilities Billing Department
The Utilities Billing Department is responsible for meter reading, billing, collections, and customer service for the following utility services: electric, gas, water, sewer and refuse. The Utility Billing Department is located at 4175 Alum Creek Drive. Utility bills may be paid using cash, check, money order, automatic direct payment, debit card, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard only). Bills may be paid in person at the window Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, payment may be deposited into a drop box located in the front parking lot south of the pond near the Police Department entrance, or payments can be made online. For questions regarding your utility bill, contact Daniel Carpenter at 614-491-7804 or by email.
Automatic Direct Payment Program
The City offers an automatic direct payment program in order to pay your monthly utility bills. In order to enroll in the program, you must complete an authorization form and return it to the Utilities Department. The form must be received by the 5th of the month in order to be effective for that month. At the beginning of each month you will receive your water bill as normal. On the due date, or the following Monday if the due date falls on a weekend, the City will automatically withdraw the amount of your water bill from the account designated on the authorization form.
Utility Bills
Meters are read on the last day of the month. Bills are generally mailed no later than the sixth business day of each month with a due date of the last day of the month. Your bill includes meter and consumption information used to calculate utility charges. Enclosed with each bill is a remittance stub. Please return the stub unless paying online or through automatic withdraw.
How Our Water and Sewer Charges Calculated
Charges for water and sewer are calculated monthly from metered consumption. Rates include a minimum monthly base charge, as well as different rates for residential, commercial, and industrial users. The minimum monthly base charge is based on the size of the meter. Minimum monthly base charges for the most common meter sizes are below:
| Meter Size | Water Minimum Base Charge | Sewer Minimum Base Charge |
| 3/4″ (Typical single family home meter size) | $11.77 | $16.86 |
| 1″ | $47.68 | $46.39 |
| 1.5″ | $91.33 | $86.43 |
| 2″ | $128.44 | $132.80 |
Water and sewer usage is measured in thousand gallon increments. Sewer units for billing purposes are derived from the number of water units metered. The rate per thousand gallons of usage is shown below:
| Class | Water | Sewer |
| Residential | $4.67 | $6.17 |
| Commercial | $5.35 | $6.83 |
| Industrial | $5.73 | $7.04 |
Columbus Sewer rates are shown below:
| Residential | $7.00 |
| Business | $78.00 |
2023 City of Obetz Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report
Obetz prides itself on providing you with quality drinking water! Each year we share the Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report with the community so that you can monitor the quality of the water you receive. Once again, our water surpassed the strict regulations of both the United States and Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies (USEPA and OEPA). Included within the reports below are general health information, water quality test results, how to participate in decisions concerning your drinking water, and water system contacts.
Please see the map below and the coordinating PDFs under that for your specific Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report.
PLANT (shown on the map in yellow)
SATELLITE #1 (shown on the map in red)
SATELLITE #2 (shown on the map in blue)
SATELLITE #6 (shown on the map in green)
Service Initiation
When requesting utility service, please notify our customer service department at 614-491-7804 two to three working days before the date you want your service to begin. Our staff will assist you in setting up a utility account based on required information obtained when you call to request service. On your service initiation date, our meter reader will obtain readings from which your billing history will start. A $50 deposit is required to initiate service.
Tenants will not be able to establish service or have service transferred to them if there are outstanding charges at the service address.
Terminating Utility Service
When you wish to request utility service termination, please notify the Utility Billing Department two to three working days before you want your service to end. Our staff will schedule final meter readings and request a forwarding address for your final bill.
Utility Assistance Programs
Water Bill Discount Program
Households with an income at or below 130 percent of the current federal poverty guidelines (76 CFR 3637) are eligible for a 50% reduction of the monthly water bill. There are no discounts available on the monthly sewer bill. A household is defined as a group of individuals (they do not have to be related) who live together in a single home.
Applications are available at the Utility Department located at 4175 Alum Creek Drive.
For households with more than 8 members, add $4,530 per member.
Home Energy Assistance Program
If you need help paying your heating or cooling bills, call HEAP toll-free at (800) 282-0880 or 614-644-6600 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. For the hearing impaired with a TDD, telecommunication device for the deaf, call toll-free number (800) 686-1557 or in Franklin County, call (614) 752-8808. The FAX number is (614) 728-6832. To obtain information about guidelines for assistance and an application form, visit the Ohio Department of Development website.
Regular Energy Assistance Program
Regular HEAP pays a portion of eligible household’s heating bills for DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEBRUARY. The amount of assistance received from HEAP is determined by the household income; the number of people in a household; the demographic area; and, the type of heating fuel.
HEAP Winter Crisis Program (HWCP)
HWCP provides assistance to households that have had utilities disconnected, face the threat of disconnection or have less than a ten (10) day supply of bulk fuel. The program allows a one time payment of up to $175.00 per heating season to restore or retain home heating services ($450.00 for bulk fuel customers).*
*Households applying for HEAP and HWCP must report total gross household income for the current past three or twelve months of all persons 18 years of age and older. Provide copies of BOTH primary and secondary utility bills, documentation of co-payment, if required, proof of disability and social security numbers for all household members age two years and older. Homeowners or renters may qualify if their total household income is equal to or less than 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
For questions regarding HEAP, PIPP or HWAP call: 1-800-282-0880 or (614) 644-6600. These programs are administered by an outside agency, not the City of Obetz.
Refuse Collection / Trash Pickup
Refuse collection is provided by Waste Management Inc. and is picked up on Friday mornings. If there is a holiday during the week, refuse will be collected on Saturday. The fee for refuse service is included on your monthly utility bill. Currently the fee for refuse collection is $19.00 per month.
The City offers a residential refuse discount program for senior citizens. The residential refuse assistance program is designed to assist citizens 65 years of age and older. All residents who are sixty-five years of age or older and who are head of household may apply for a 10% reduction of their monthly refuse bill. To enroll in the program, complete the Residential Refuse Discount Form and return it to the Utilities Department, 4175 Alum Creek Drive.
Water Main Breaks
Occasionally the water-mains that supply water to our houses will develop a leak; typically more during the winter months. If you see pooling water or water coming from the ground, please contact the Engineer at 614-491-1080. When the water-main break requires the water to be shutdown for repair, you will receive a Boil Alert to ensure against any potential harm in case something entered the system through the break. Whenever practical, the Engineer and Water Department staff attempt to fix leaks without shutting down the water to avoid the Boil Alerts. Below is a photo of a leak that was repaired without shutting off the water. The silver piece is the repair coupling. The small black line crossing over the top of the water line is a natural gas line and demonstrates why you should never dig without calling ahead to have the utilities marked.
Annual Fire Hydrant Flushing: Why it Matters & What to Expect
The Obetz Utilities Department flush hydrants every fall. The schedule is posted the week of the flushing.
The primary purpose of hydrant flushing is to verify the proper operation of the hydrants through periodic inspections, flow testing, and preventative maintenance. Secondarily, hydrant flushing is key to water quality related aesthetic issues by removing accumulated iron and mineral deposits from within the water line. Removing these materials through flushing maintains the high quality of the water provided to residents.
Fire hydrant flushing may cause temporary inconveniences such as a reduction in water pressure and discolored water. Discolored water is not a threat to the public’s health; however, it will stain laundry and if consumed may have an unpleasant taste. To prevent these things from happening we ask that during this process you do not wash laundry and have plenty of drinking water on hand. We also ask for residents to ensure that their vehicles are away from the hydrants.
Although residents may experience some temporary inconveniences, the annual hydrant flushing is necessary to maintain a good water supply for both firefighting and domestic purposes. Your cooperation during this time is appreciated. If you continue to notice discolored water coming from your water fixture please run the cold water side for approximately 5 minutes. If the discoloration persists, or you have any questions/concerns please feel free to contact Marty Ryan at 614-496-6770.
Stormwater Management Program Plan 2021-2025
The Purpose of the SWMP Plan
The following document describes the plan for the City of Obetz’ Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) 2021 – 2025. The City is required to develop, implement and support a SWMP to the maximum extent practicable, to protect water quality and to address the impacts of stormwater, while satisfying requirements of the National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit created under the Clean Water Act (CWA) , as well as conditions under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 6111 .
The program is authorized to state governments by the U.S. EPA to require municipal operators of Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in U.S. Census Bureau defined urbanized areas to obtain NPDES permit coverage for their stormwater discharges, to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed or dumped into MS4s.
The NPDES defines an MS4 as a conveyance or system of conveyances that is: owned by a state, city, town, City, or other public entity that discharges to waters of the U.S.; designed or used to collect or convey stormwater (e.g., storm drains, pipes, ditches); not a combined sewer; not part of a sewage treatment plant, or publicly owned treatment works (POTW).
This Plan provides information to Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) on how the City intends to comply with the requirement of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Municipal Stormwater Program administered through the NPDES general permit for Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4).
This Plan also serves as a communications and guidance tool to City staff and elected officials, community partners, businesses and residents involved in implementing the stormwater program. While implementing this plan, the City of Obetz will communicate with businesses and households and target populations that include residents and landowners, students, developers, and stream side landowners. The City of Obetz will continue to develop programs to identify potential pollution sources and eliminate them, as well as review and update zoning and development regulations as needed to comply with the permit. Every effort will be made to use existing resources, identify grant opportunities, and meet multiple community needs.
View the plan by clicking the button below!