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Sewage System 　

Unit Prices

Q
Can you tell me about sewage service rates?
A
Ideally, sewage service rates should be charged according to the amount of wastewater discharged by each household, but it is impossible to measure such amount. Therefore, the sewage service rates are charged according to water consumption based on the assumption that most of the water used is discharged into the sewage system. 
Meanwhile, the City of Osaka has a progressive water rate structure where the price per unit of water increases with increased volume of consumption. Therefore, as water service rates increase, sewage service rates increase. For more information, contact the Public Works Bureau.
◁EFinance Department, General Affairs Division, Public Works Bureau
Address: Osaka World Trade Center Building 34F, 1-14-16 Nanko-kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka
Tel: 06-6615-7547

Sewage Works

Q
Can you provide information about sewage works?
A
For information about sewage works, contact a sewage management office in your area. Contact information is as follows:
Tobu Sewage Management Office (for residents in Miyakojima, Asahi, Joto, Tsurumi, Tennoji, Higashinari and Ikuno Wards) … Tel: 06-6969-5841
Seibu Sewage Management Office (for residents in Taisho, Naniwa, Nishinari, Chuo, Nishi and Minato Wards) … Tel: 06-6567-6491
Nanbu Sewage Management Office (for residents in Suminoe, Sumiyoshi, Abeno, Higashisumiyoshi and Hirano Wards) … Tel: 06-6686-1240
Hokubu Sewage Management Office (for residents in Fukushima, Konohana, Nishiyodogawa, Kita, Yodogawa and Higashiyodogawa Wards) … Tel: 06-6462-1434

Clogged Sewers

Q
Can you provide information about clogged sewers, sewer repairs and drainage system installation?
A
For information about clogged sewers, sewer repairs and drainage system installation, contact a sewage center in your area. Contact information is as follows:
Nakahama Sewage Center (for residents in Miyakojima, Asahi, Joto and Tsurumi Wards) … Tel: 06-6969-2656
Tajima Sewage Center (for residents in Tennoji, Higashinari and Ikuno Wards) … Tel: 06-6751-5000
Tsumori Sewage Center (for residents in Taisho, Naniwa and Nishinari Wards) … Tel: 06-6567-6495
Ichioka Sewage Center (for residents in Chuo, Nishi and Minato Wards) … Tel: 06-6576-0700
Suminoe Sewage Center (for residents in Suminoe and Sumiyoshi Wards) … Tel: 06-6686-0434
Nakano Sewage Center (for residents in Abeno, Higashisumiyoshi and Hirano Wards) … Tel: 06-6705-0341
Ebie Sewage Center (for residents in Fukushima, Konohana and Nishiyodogawa Wards) … Tel: 06-6462-1437
Juhachijo Sewage Center (Kita, Yodogawa and Higashiyodogawa Wards) … Tel: 06-6399-6961

 

Installation Fee 　

Installation Fee

Q
In what cases do I have to pay a water meter installation fee?
A
When you bring running water to the premises, a water meter installation fee is charged if you install a water meter measuring 75 mm or more in diameter. Such fee is not charged when you install a water meter measuring 25 mm or 40 mm in diameter, commonly used for ordinary households.

 

Replacing Water Meter 　

Reason

Q
It seems my water meter has been replaced. Why?
A
Under the Measurement Act, the valid period of water meters should be 8 years. The Waterworks Bureau, therefore, replaces water meters before the expiration month and year.

Valid Period 

Q
Can you tell me about water meter replacement?
A
The water meters maintained by the Waterworks Bureau are regularly replaced with new ones under the Measurement Act at no cost to customers. During the replacement work, water service may be disrupted, so your kind understanding would be appreciated.

 

Location 　

Relocating Water Meter

Q
Can I relocate my water meter?
A
You can relocate your water meter at your expense if a new location meets the installation requirements (e.g. a place outside a house within a property located nearest to the point where a service pipe branches off from the mains, a place where meter reading and replacement work can be done easily). Ask a plumber designated by the City of Osaka for relocation work. If your current water meter is located indoors, the Waterworks Bureau may relocate your meter depending on conditions.

 

How to Read Water Meter 　

How to Read Water Meter

Q
Can you tell me how a water meter is read?
A
A household digital water meter has red pointers showing the volume by the liter and by the ten liters, a red digit showing the volume by the 100 liters and four white digits showing the volume by the one, ten, 100 and 1,000 cubic meters.
A meter is read by the cubic meter for billing, so four white digits showing the volume in liters are read from left to right.
※ Large meters for large volume users have only pointers. Such meters are also read by the cubic meter for billing.

 

Privately Installed Water Meters 　

Maintenance

Q
Can maintenance of privately installed water meters in condominiums be outsourced to the Waterworks Bureau?
A
If certain conditions are met, the Waterworks Bureau may provide maintenance service for water meters privately installed by each owner of a condominium unit upon application. For more information, contact the following.
Osaka Water General Service Co., Ltd. … Tel: 06-4709-1725

 

Receiving Tank 　

Water Quality Management

Q
How is water quality managed when water is supplied indirectly from the mains through a receiving tank?
A
Receiving tanks, which are properties of customers who have installed them, must be maintained by customers themselves. Buildings equipped with a receiving tank with a capacity exceeding ten cubic meters are subject to regulation regarding small-scale private water systems under the Water Works Law. In accordance with the regulation, installation of such tanks must be reported to a Health and Welfare Center of the Public Health and Welfare Bureau, water tanks must be cleaned annually and water quality inspection under the law must be conducted annually by an inspection institute designated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
When you install a receiving tank with a capacity of more than ten cubic meters, report it to the Living Environment Section, Community Health and Welfare Department, the Public Health and Welfare Center in each ward. For information about water quality, contact Osaka Water General Service Co., Ltd.
Osaka Water General Service Co., Ltd. … Tel: 06-6312-1132
Meanwhile, receiving tanks with a capacity of ten cubic meters or less also need to be maintained according to the maintenance standards required for small-scale private water systems.

Building Managers

Q
Should I be concerned about whether our receiving tank is properly maintained?
A
Building owners or building managers are responsible for maintaining receiving tanks and the water supply facilities connected to such tanks and for managing water quality.
Meanwhile, the Public Health and Welfare Bureau, which takes charge of sanitary administration, handles hygienic control problems such as water quality deterioration. Additionally, the Waterworks Bureau provides those who have installed receiving tanks thorough instruction on how to maintain them properly and offers water users information about receiving tank maintenance. Moreover, with the aim of improving water supply service, the Bureau is extending the scope of applicability of the direct water supply system without receiving tank to more buildings.

 

Direct Water Supply System 　

Scope of Applicability

Q
I’ve heard that I wouldn’t need a receiving tank if I switch to the direct water supply system. Which types of buildings can switch to the direct water supply system?
A
If you switch to the direct water supply system, which does not need a receiving tank, you can save the trouble of maintaining it. However, this system is not applicable to buildings equipped with a water meter measuring 100 mm or more in diameter or to plants handling hazardous materials such as poisonous and deleterious substances and chemicals.
Meanwhile, the direct water supply system, which lacks a water storage function, is not suitable for facilities that use a large amount of water at a time, need a constant supply of water and are seriously affected by water service disruption (e.g. hospitals, hotels). The indirect water supply system using a receiving tank is suitable for such facilities.

Switching to Direct Water Supply System

Q
Can I ask the Waterworks Bureau to do work involved in switching to the direct water supply system?
A
The Bureau is unable to do such work. Water service pipes running from the water mains under the streets into each premise are private properties of those who have installed such pipes. Therefore, you need to have such work done by a plumber designated by the City of Osaka, at your expense. For contact information, check the Bureau’s website.

Work Costs

Q
If I request work for switching to the direct water supply system, how much would it cost?
A
Work cost varies considerably according to the configuration of laid out pipes—whether switching can be made by modification work inside your property, or by reinstallation of the entire service pipe running from the mains under the street into your property. Therefore, you are recommended to obtain an estimate in advance from a plumber designated by the City of Osaka, who will carry out the switching work for you. For contact information about plumbers designated by the City of Osaka, contact our Customer Center.

 

Water Supply Systems 　

Types of Water Supply Systems

Q
How many types of water supply systems are applicable to condominiums?
A
Most mid-to-high-rise buildings such as condominiums use the indirect water supply system by storing water temporarily in a receiving tank, but some of them use the direct water supply system that delivers water directly from the mains to taps without using a receiving tank. This direct water supply system is available in two types; direct water supply system without receiving tank (delivering water to taps by using pressure from the mains); and booster-pump water supply system without receiving tank (delivering water to taps by using increased pressure with a booster pump installed on the service pipe to compensate for shortage of pressure from the mains).

Differences

Q
I hear that the direct water supply system is available in two types Ethe direct water supply system without receiving tank and the booster-pump water supply system without receiving tank. Can you explain them to me?
A
A water supply method for delivering water directly to taps without storing water temporarily in a receiving tank is called a direct water supply system without receiving tank. This system is available in two types—the direct water supply system without receiving tank and the booster-pump water supply system without receiving tank.
The former type, which directly supplies water by using pressure from the mains, is applicable to buildings up to three stories high. However, as an exception, this type may be applicable to buildings up to four or five stories high in areas where the mains pressure is high, if certain conditions are met.
The latter type, which directly supplies water by using increased pressure with a booster pump to compensate for shortage of pressure from the mains, is applicable to buildings up to about 15 stories high and 200 units. However, as the maximum momentary water supply volume and the scale and configuration of piping differ from building to building, practicality of use must be confirmed by hydraulic calculations.

 

 

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