Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Talkeetna Sewer & Water

Contact Info

The Talkeetna Sewer & Water System is maintained by Mat-Su Borough operators Amanda Fleming and Mike Drover.

Mail: 1420 S Industrial Way, Palmer, AK 99645

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Talkeetna Office: (907)861-8347

Palmer Office: (907)861-7753


Report Emergency Issues

Please use this link to submit emergency issues pertaining to Talkeetna Sewer and Water. For non-emergencies, please contact the office during normal business hours at (907)861-8347

The Talkeetna Sewer & Water System, the only utility owned by the Mat-Su Borough, was built in the late 1980s after significant flooding of the Talkeetna and Susitna Rivers damaged personal wells and septic systems in Talkeetna proper. The system includes water treatment, water distribution, wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment.

Water is supplied by two groundwater wells that are treated to remove arsenic, manganese, and iron. The water is disinfected utilizing chlorine prior to entering the distribution system. The water distribution system is approximately 5 miles, or 26,000 linear feet, of ductile iron pipe and supplies safe, reliable drinking water to approximately 215 commercial and residential taps.

The wastewater gravity collection system is approximately 23,000 linear feet in length and utilizes three lift stations to transport sewage to the wastewater treatment plant. Treatment processes include anaerobic digestion, waste stabilization, disinfection, aeration, and de-chlorination to remove solids and pathogens prior to discharge into the Talkeetna River. Wastewater treatment is only performed during the months of April through October. From November through March, winter conditions prevent treatment so wastewater is stored until treatment can resume.

The Mat-Su Borough is continually assessing the utility's infrastructure to ensure services are reliably provided to customers with minimal disruption. To find out more about current projects to improve or repair infrastructure, check out the Infrastructure Improvements tab.

Services

The Mat-Su Borough has adopted changes to the Talkeetna Sewer & Water Service Area Rules, Rates & Procedures. More Information



Rules & Rates

Talkeetna Sewer & Water provides the following services to the Talkeetna area:

  • Treatment & distribution of drinking water for domestic, commercial, and fire protection use.
  • Collection & treatment of domestic and commercial wastewater.
  • Operation & maintenance of these facilities.

Note 1: Connecting to the Talkeetna Sewer & Water system is required for all buildings constructed after March 17, 1992 and for all existing systems that fail in the service area. All connections require a meter.

Note 2: To accommodate seasonal needs, the utility will turn water service on and off at the request of the customer. There is a Turn On/Off fee and a monthly Interrupted Service fee. See the Fee Chart for current rates.

Apply for Service

Service

To obtain service at a property already connected to the system, submit a completed Application for Utility Service for review. DO NOT submit application fees until after you have received confirmation from Talkeetna Sewer & Water that the form is complete. Properties not connected to the system will be required to submit additional permits; minimally a Stub Out Connection Permit or a Mainline Connection Permit.

Please contact Talkeetna Sewer & Water before submitting additional forms and fees as each property will have to be reviewed for specific availability.

Pay My Bill

Bills will be mailed on a monthly basis, typically at the start of every month, to the address listed on the Utility Service Application on file. Failure to receive a bill will not relieve the customer of the responsibility to pay for services received.

Please include your full account number (TA0XXX-XXX) for all payment methods. The account number is located in the lower left corner of your bill.

  • Pay Online: MSB Utility Billing *All online payments will be subject to a processing fee: either 3% of transaction for credit/debit cards or $1 per transaction for eCheck/ACH. This will be reflected in the total amount due upon paying.*
  • By Mail: Matanuska-Susitna Borough Finance, 350 E Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, AK 99645.
  • In Person: 350 E Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, AK 99645.
  • Bill Pay: Check payments issued by your bank need to be requested typically two weeks prior to the due date in order to be received on time. Contact your bank for more information. 

Customers will be billed by the Utility at intervals approximating 30 days. Meter reading will be performed the first of every month and bills will be prepared, utilizing a cycle billing, based on the meter reading. Billings for service of less than thirty days shall be pro-rated on the basis of the number of days that month from the day of connection (turn on).

Fee Chart

Recurring fees

  • Residential Water $78.00 per month
  • Commercial Water $87.50 per month minimum; $11.00/1000 gallons
  • Interrupted Service $41.25 per month
  • Residential Sewer $60.00 per month
  • Commercial Sewer $114.00 per month

Non-recurring fees

  • Utility Service Application $385.00 each
  • Stub Out Connection Permit $94.00 each
  • Mainline Connection Permit $282.00 each
  • Water Turn On/Off* $72.00 each
  • Service Call Out* $72.00 each
  • Unauthorized On/Off $99.49 each
  • Returned Check $30.00 each
  • Late Payment $12.50 each
  • Disconnect Notice $31.50 each

Additional services and fees are listed in the Talkeetna Sewer & Water Service Rules and Regulations. *Service requests outside of normal business hours will be subject to double the listed rate.

Sewer & Water Board

The Talkeetna Sewer & Water Advisory Board consists of five qualified voting members, two of whom may reside in Talkeetna Community Council Area, and three of whom must reside in or own real property in, or own or operate a business in the sewer and water service area and/or have an active sewer and water account. The board is the key communication link between the community and the Mat-Su Borough.

Meetings occur monthly on the first Wednesday of the month. For more information on the Board and meeting location/time, please visit Public Meetings, Talkeetna Sewer & Water Service Area, or Talkeetna Community Council. 

Water Quality

Consumer Confidence Report

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires that we present an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and regulatory agencies. 

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires facilities discharging into surface waters, such as the Talkeetna River, to file monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR). This report details water quality results and discharge volume data in relation to authorized discharge permits issued by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and other regulatory agencies.

Copies of CCR's and DMR's are available upon request.

Infrastructure Improvements

TSW Infrastructure Improvements

The Mat-Su Borough has recently received significant funding to improve aging utility infrastructure within the Talkeetna Sewer & Water service area. The documents within this section provide details on current condition assessments, upgrade plans, and status of current projects.