Q. Who do I call if a Stop sign or Street Name sign is down or missing?
A. Public Works Service Center 361-552-3347
Q. Who do I call if tree limbs are growing into the street?
A. Public Works Service Center 361-552-3347
Q. Who do I call if view of traffic (or stop sign) is blocked by something on the right of way (e.g. tree limbs, high brush)?
A. Public Works Service Center 361-552-3347
Q. If I need a driveway put in who furnishes the material (culvert)?
A. Call the Public Works Service Center 361-552-3347 and the City will come out and check to see what size culvert (pipe) and type is needed. The customer buys the culvert and then calls the City back and the City will schedule a time to come out and place the culvert in the ditch and cover it with dirt. Any additional material needed (limestone or asphalt) will be purchased by the customer.
Q. Who mows the alleys?
A. The city of Port Lavaca mows the alleys but not easements
Q. Who is our garbage provider?
A. Republic Services their number 1-800-640-2014
Q. How often do they pick up the brush?
A. Twice a month. The first and third full week of the month
Q. If I have a mattress that I need to get rid of, where do I put it?
A. You may put it out front with bulky items on the second pick up day of the week
Q. Why should I know what my monthly average water consumption is on my bill?
A. Because only you the customer know what you normally use and pay and if your bill is higher than normal or lower than normal you should have the meter re-read so that any discrepancies will be caught before they cost you more.
Q. If there is a leak in the meter box who is responsible?
A. If you are not sure, call city hall customer service right away. We can make the determination and if it is on our side they will make repairs, or they will advise you if it is on the customer’s side. Anything past the meter tail is the responsibility of the customer.
Q. If I have a stopped sewer who should I call first?
A. To determine if the stopped sewer is on your line or the city main call the service center first before you call a plumber. We have after hours on call personnel on standby and can determine whose side it’s on.
Q. There is an odor in my house. What is the cause of it?
A. Sewer mains do create odors but they are usually kept out of customers’ homes by the use of P-traps and sewer stacks. If these areas in your home are not working properly they can allow sewer gases to come back in to the home. If you smell sewer around your home check to see that the P-traps and sewer stacks are in proper working order first.
Q. Can I put extra items (example-bags of leaves, boxes) on the side of my trash can to be picked up with my garbage?
A. Under our new automated trash pickup system, only the trash carts will be picked up on collection days. All trash including leaves, boxes etc. must be placed inside the cart and the lid must be able to close.
Q. What do I do with my bags of leaves?
A. All yard waste with the exception of the brush is to be placed in the trash carts.
Q. Is there water available to my property?
A. To find out if services are available to your property you must call the Public Works Department at 361-552-3347 and request a Query for Service. We will need to have the address, lot, and block number.
Q. The easement is covered with high grass how do they read the meter?
A. Our meter reading system is “Radio Read” and all meter readings are transmitted to City Hall. Meter readers on occasion will have to read meters manually and high grass does create a problem they have to deal with. Home Owners are responsible for cleaning their half of the easement. This is a safety issue for the homeowner as well. Everyone should have their own personal cutoff valve within 3 feet of the meter.
Q. The meter box is full of dirt how can they read the meter?
A. Meter-reading occurs once a month for each meter account in the city. That means that for the next 30 days there is usually no one at that meter. Because the meter is in the ground there will be a tendency for dirt to get in the box as well as gophers who love vacant space to push their dirt into. We have a “Radio Read” meter system so the reader does not need to clean out the box to be able to read your meter.
Q. If I have a leak at my house what should I do?
A. If you have a water leak in your house and do not have a house shut off valve please call the city hall customer service( 552-9793 ext 238 or ext 239), if it’s after working hours Call the PD at (552-3788) we have on call personnel that will come out and turn the water off at the meter. Please do not try shutting the water off at the meter as this may damage the shut off and will cause a delay in shutting off the water. There is a $100.00 tampering fee for turning on and off the meter. Current City Code requires the installation of a shut off valve on the customer’s side whenever service is turned off for repair and prior to the service being turned back on.
