Services
The Brown Deer Water Utility purchases its water from the City of Milwaukee. The source of our water is Lake Michigan. Water travels to your home through underground water mains. Over sixty miles of underground mains operate within Village boundaries.
Report a Water Main Break
If you want to report a possible water main break, contact the Police Department Dispatcher immediately at 414-371-2900. Water Utility staff will be notified and respond to the situation.
- Meter Readings
- Quarterly Billing Schedule
- Water Mains
- Hydrants
- Sampling
- Chlorine
- Booster Disinfection
- Meter Maintenance
- Well Abandonments
Your water bill is a composite of two charges: a fixed service charge based on the meter size at the property and a volumetric charge based on the amount of water used since the previous meter reading. The consumption is based on a reading of the water meter in your basement. The Utility reads your meter using a Badger Meter reading system. Using this system we can quickly, accurately, and efficiently read meters.
Billing Periods
Brown Deer Water sends out four quarterly bills a year. The four quarters cover the following periods:
| Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 through February 28 | March 1 through May 31 | June 1 through August 31 | September 1 through November 30 |
Payments
Payments must be received in our office on or before the due date. After the due date a 3% penalty is added. Failure to receive the bill does not exempt the customer from late payment charges.
Pay by Mail
Mail Payment to:
Brown Deer Water Public Utility
4800 W Green Brook Drive
Brown Deer, WI 53223
Pay at Village Hall
Office hours: 8 am to 4:30 pm. An after-hours tan-colored drop box is located outside the main entrance to Village Hall.
Pay Online
Pay your water bill online.
Pay by Phone
Call: 844-435-3982
Direct Debit Automated Clearing House (ACH) Program
Your payment can be automatically deducted from your checking account on the due date - avoid penalties.
View more details in the Water Utility Direct Debit Application (PDF).
No Lead Mains
Residents benefit from the village having absolutely no lead mains or service lines. That means that lead can not leach into the drinking water from the mains - greatly improving water quality. The majority of mains in the village are made of iron. Newer mains are plastic.
Main Breaks
Over the years the Utility has repaired numerous water main breaks. The majority are in the winter months and are usually caused by corrosion and cold weather stresses. In recent years, the Utility has begun using anodes to protect the iron mains from corrosion. The program has resulted in a significant drop in main breaks throughout the Village. When there is a main break our water operators work as quickly as possible to make the necessary repairs.
In most cases water service can be fully restored within hours of the start of the repair. If you see what looks like a water leak - please call the Police dispatcher at 414-371-2900.
Fire Protection
The Village of Brown Deer receives one of the best ratings from the Insurance Services Office, Inc. for fire protection. The I.S.O. looks at the proximity of properties to a hydrant, as well as fire flow and location to a fire station. There are currently over 620 hydrants in the Village. All properties are within 500 feet of a hydrant. The class 2/9 rating the district receives can result in a decrease in some property insurance calculations.
Your agent or insurance company can be contacted to determine the effect this classification might have on your policy.
Flushing Hydrants
The utility exercises all hydrants in the village annually. By exercising the hydrant we know that it is functioning properly and we improve water quality by flushing rust and sediment from the mains. You may notice that the water in your home comes out of the faucet cloudy or rust colored for a brief time after we have flushed the hydrant near your home. If you let the water run for a few minutes, it should clear up. The discolored water is caused when the rust sediment from the main enters your service line.
Bacteriological
Brown Deer Water collects over 120 samples annually to check for the presence of coliform bacteria in the system water. Ten monthly samples are collected and sent to the State Lab of Hygiene for analysis. The Utility collects almost 20% more samples than required by law. Samples are taken from specific locations throughout the distribution system. In the past two years all regular distribution samples have come back safe!
Lead & Copper Samples
The Utility has been monitoring lead and copper in the Village since 1992. Contamination in water from lead and copper can only come from home plumbing because there are no lead mains or service lines in Brown Deer. If a home has copper plumbing and was built prior to 1984 there is a possibility that lead was used to solder the plumbing. After 1984 lead solder was prohibited. There is no risk of lead contamination in homes with PVC or galvanized steel plumbing.
In the years since we started testing for lead and copper, Brown Deer Water has never exceeded the guidelines established by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
Water Quality
The Consumer Confidence Report includes a list of contaminants and action levels. View the most recent Consumer Confidence Report (PDF).
Small amounts of chlorine are present in our water in its form of chloramine to act as a residual disinfectant that keeps our water safe from harmful microbiological activity. Typical levels of chloramine in our system ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 parts per million. We monitor these levels regularly with the bacteriological samples.
The Village of Brown Deer Water Utility has been successfully operating a Booster Disinfection Station since August 2004. The booster disinfection has helped reduce the number of copper pipe failures in the Village. During the late 1990's and early 2000's, approximately 10 to 15 copper pipe failures a year were experienced. Since then, we have had only one or two failures the entire time.
This station watches chlorine levels in water purchased from Milwaukee and adjusts the amount to meet levels appropriate for our Village. On a typical day, this means adjusting the Milwaukee level from 1.0 to 1.7 parts per million. So far this adjustment plus the spring "Big Flush" has provided good results in improving distribution water quality. Water quality results taken all around the Village by our Department of Natural Resources Certified Operators, have shown the Booster Disinfection Station is an important asset to the Village.
Meter maintenance is an important part of our operations. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission mandates that all meters be tested or replaced regularly. This is for your protection - to ensure that your water usage is correct and represents a fair billing. We replace residential meters every ten to fifteen years. Larger meters must be tested more often.
We try to schedule appointments at convenient times and arrive promptly at the scheduled hour. The work at residential properties takes only twenty minutes to complete. It is important that the meter be accessible. Although the meter is located in your home or business, it is the property of the Utility. The Utility has a legal right to maintain, replace and service all meters. When access is denied the Utility can charge $20 per meter service attempt.
With the exception of the meter, all plumbing in the home and outside to the curb is the property of the homeowner. That includes all valves, including the valves before and after the meter. It is important to maintain these valves because they may be needed in an emergency to shut off water due to a broken fixture or pipe.
Testing
Meters are tested for accuracy at the manufacturing plant and also at our meter shop. Every meter is tested prior to installation. Accurate readings are of critical importance to the successful operation of the Water Utility.
The Village is required to monitor all water wells within Brown Deer. Unused and unsafe wells must be abandoned. If a well is operational it must have a five-year permit. There is no charge for a well permit. For more information please call the Water Utility at 414-371-3080.