Hydrant and Construction Meter Rental
Applying for a construction meter or hydrant meter can be done between 8:00am and 3:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. And between 9:00am and 3:00pm Thursday.
Applications need to be submitted at the Utilities Customer Service office located at 1300 Courthouse Rd., Suite 249 Stafford, VA 22554. Payment by check can be made at the Treasurer’s office located in the same building.
To obtain a construction or hydrant meter the same day as the application is submitted, you will need to bring a check for the deposit amount. If paying online with a credit card, it will take 24 to 48 hours for the account to update and be available online for payment. The meters cannot be obtained without proof of payment.
Meters are picked up from a separate location at our Field Operations office located at 71 Coal Landing Rd, Stafford, VA 22554.
Construction and Hydrant Meter Permit Fees
Bulk Water Rate (Per Thousand Gallons)
$18.17
Meter readings must be reported between the 20th and 25th of each month. Monthly readings must be submitted by fax to (540) 658-4082 or by email to utilcustservice@staffordcountyva.gov or by calling our office at (540) 658-8616. Any questions regarding how to read the meter, please call our office before reporting the reading. Failure to report monthly readings on time shall result in an estimated bill for 10,000 gallons of usage. The estimated bill will not be adjusted when a new reading is called in.
Miscellaneous Charges
$500.00 Deposit for a 5/8” Construction Meter or 5/8” Hydrant Meter
$1,000.00 Deposit for a 3” Hydrant Meter
$10.00 Monthly rental fee
10% - Late Payment Charge will be assessed if payment is not received by the due date.
Backflow Inspections of Vehicles and/or Equipment
Stafford County requires that any water tank truck or piece of equipment be inspected and
certified before a hydrant meter can be obtained. The tank must have a permanent air gap that is twice the diameter of the of the fill pipe, or 2” (inches), whichever is greater. Please contact the Backflow Inspector at (540) 658-5200/5201 with any questions or to schedule an inspection.
Revocation of Permit
Construction and/or hydrant permits may be revoked without notice for failure to comply with any of the terms, conditions, and instructions included on the permit, on the Bulk Water Policy, or under emergency circumstances as determined by the Department of Utilities. The Department of Utilities reserves the right to not reissue a permit to any permit holder that has violated any clause in the Bulk Water Policy or any of the terms and conditions of the permit. If a permit is revoked, meters must be immediately surrendered to the Field Operations office of the Department of Utilities.
Designated Fire Hydrants
It is essential to ensure our water system has a reliable flow for fire suppression while still protecting the community’s water supply and access to that supply. For this reason, specific hydrants have been designated for hydrant meter use in order to minimize the effects large withdrawals can have on the system, neighborhood disruption, and safety hazards that fill-ups can cause.
The list in the link above of designated hydrants are the only allowable hydrants under your permit. Use of any other hydrant is in violation of this permit and will result in immediate forfeiture of your deposit and permit revocation. Designated hydrants are identified by the Operations and Maintenance Division and are reviewed and updated on an as needed basis. Additional locations may be requested by submitting a Fire Hydrant Waiver Request. An evaluation of the impact on the system will need to be completed before the request can be approved. These waiver requests must be submitted at least two business days prior to when needed.
Emergency Restrictions
In order to protect the water supply in times of emergency, permits shall be temporarily suspended when the County Administrator declares a Drought Warning or Emergency or when the Director of the Department of Utilities declares a heightened alert. Such communications are effective upon public notice and/or direct mailing. The Department of Utilities reserves the right to suspend or revoke permits at any time. No water withdrawals from hydrants are permitted during these times, except by the Fire Department for fire suppression. Continued usage is prohibited by law (Class 2 Misdemeanor under Section 18.2 – 162.1 of the Code of Virginia).