Why does my power go out? There are many reasons that power outages occur, including natural causes such as lightning and high winds from storms; ice on tree limbs; and animals like birds, squirrels and snakes getting into electrical equipment and lines. Man-made reasons for outages include car accidents that damage equipment, helium balloons that get into overhead lines and construction crews digging into underground electric lines
A lesser known reason for an individual home’s power going out is transformer overload. This occurs when additional electric loads are added by the customer and cannot be carried by the service transformer. To remedy this, the City must replace the existing transformer with a new one that can carry the added load. If you add electric load to your home or business, you may want to contact Rock Hill Utilities so the transformer capacity can be evaluated based on the electric load you have added.
To report a power outage, or an interruption of your water or sewer service, call the City’s AllCall voice response system at 803/329-5500. Our computer system instantly registers service problems and immediately pages service crews to respond to the call.
How do I report an outage, water leak or other utility problem?
If your power goes out, need to report a problem with your water or sewer service or have any other problem with a service provided by Rock Hill Utiliites, please call 803/329-5500. Requests for service or power outage reports are received by the City’s automated AllCall system. The Utilities Department's computer system instantly logs your call, registers your service problem and actually pages necessary crews to your address and/or the geographic source of the problem. This speeds response and repair time. (During a widespread power outage or service interruption, please be patient when calling, since the AllCall system can become overloaded with calls.)
When I call to report an outage, why do I sometimes get a busy signal or have to wait a long time to speak to a dispatcher?
If your outage occurs during a storm, you may have to wait a short while to speak directly with someone about the problem. If you get a busy signal, please be patient and call back. When the call is answered, an automated voice will direct you to report the outage by following directions using your touchtone phone, or you can press "0" to speak to an operator. We encourage customers to report the outage without speaking to an operator - it should be much quicker for the customer. The AllCall system will take your report and geographically group addresses and identify where an outage is occurring. Crews will then be immediately paged and dispatched to the problem.
Why does the City of Rock Hill need to prune old, valuable trees?
The City of Rock Hill has a utility right-of-way to maintain safe clearance around primary and secondary electric distribution lines. In most cases, the right-of-way extends 10 feet on either side of high-voltage electric lines. As many of us have experienced, severe weather conditions can compromise electric service and public safety if trees or tree limbs fall on electric lines. By trimming trees within right-of-ways, the City is ensuring the reliability of the electric system and helping to eliminate dangerous conditions that might result from a storm.
The City contracts with professional tree trimming crews to maintain the electric distribution lines in our system. The crews you may see from time to time in your neighborhood are trained in proper pruning techniques and follow pruning guidelines adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Rock Hill Tree Commission. As a rule, the only trees affected by our trimming program are those that grow tall enough to interfere with overhead electric lines. For more information about the City of Rock Hill's tree trimming policy, tree maintenance and other valuable tips about planting trees, contact Clark Beavans, the City's Forester at cbeavans@cityofrockhill.com (phone 803/329-5534) or find out more about Community Forestry & Beautification.
My home or business needs more outdoor lighting for safety. How can I get a security light?
The City offers a full-line of security lighting for residential and business needs. Cost for a typical residential or commercial security light starts at $8.73 per month (2007 rates) and will be added to your utility bill. Other types of security lights vary in cost per month depending upon the type and wattage of light needed. Depending upon the location of the light, an additional installation charge may apply.
To inquire about having a security light installed at your property, call 803/325-2500. If you already have a security light through the City and you need to get it repaired, call 803/329-5500.
How can I protect my valuable electronics (personal computer, stereo, television, microwave, etc.) from being damaged by lightning or other voltage fluctuations?
Today’s electronics operate with greater sensitivity and less tolerance to power fluctuations and interruptions than ever before. The City of Rock Hill encourages its customers to protect their electronic equipment through proper surge protection measures.
The first step to surge protection is to make sure that your home or business is properly grounded. To determine this, a certified and licensed electrician can perform a service ground check. Without proper grounding, no other level of surge protection may be helpful.
A customer can then have an electrician install a meter base and/or main panel surge protection device. These devices should be UL-1449 rated. Please have your electrician contact the Utilities Department at 803/329-5500 before installing a meter base protector.
The third level of surge protection is at the electrical outlet. This is the most common method of surge protection used by consumers; however, customers need to first consider surge protection at the entrance of your home’s electric service (meter base or main panel) first, to absorb most of the voltage spike caused by lightning or interruptions. ENERGY DEPOT offers more information about surge protection in the Energy Library.
What should I do if my sewer line backs up?
The City of Rock Hill routinely cleans its main sewer lines in order to prevent buildup, which can cause sewer back ups. The City is responsible for main lines and the sewer tap connecting the City’s line with the private home or business. Private property owners are responsible for the service line from the tap on the sewer main to the home or business.
If you have a sewer back up, call the Utilities Department at 803/329-5500. A crew will be dispatched to your home and the nature of the problem will be determined. If the City finds that the problem exists on the customer’s service line, the property owner must contact a licensed plumber to have the line cleaned or repaired.
To avoid sewer back ups, never pour grease down drains - it turns into a hard solid that can block the line. Also, roots from trees can grow into sewer service line joints and obstruct flow; if this happens, the customer must contact a plumber.
The"Help Keep Those Lines Flowing" brochure contains more detailed information about the responsibilities of both the homeowner and the City.
How can I save on my electric and water bill?
There are many ways to conserve electricity and water and lower your utility bill. Rock Hill Utilities has a brochure entitled "Energy Saving Ideas That Can Help Reduce Your Energy Costs" to help customers reduce electric costs. In addition, we have several brochures on reducing water waste and being water wise. Please call 803/329-5500.
In addition, Rock Hill now offers it customers an opportunity to conduct an on-line energy audit, calculate the electric costs related to specific applications in your home and learn how to save on your electric bill through ENERGY DEPOT. ENERGY DEPOT offers an extensive library of energy saving information!
The City of Rock Hill has the SmartChoice incentives program that rewards energy efficient, all-electric customers. If you have a minimum 14 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) all-season heat pump and an electric water heater, you may qualify for the City’s lowest residential electric rate, which we affectionately call the Great Rate. SmartChoice also offers valuable rebates on electric water heater and heat pump replacements.