General Q&As

Can I make a payment over the phone?
Yes! Call 541-727-0234 and follow the instructions.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, or Discover credit or debit cards.  You can also access the payment system by calling 541-664-6300 and pressing 1.  You need your nine-digit sewer account number in order to pay.

What are my payment options?
Payment options include paying online or over the phone by credit/debit card; delivering your payment either through the mail, to a drop box, or to our office; and paying automatically either online for all customers using your credit or debit card or from your checking or savings account available to our monthly and quarterly residential customers . Click here for the Auto Pay form in pdf format.

Can I pay with my credit or debit card?
Yes.  You may pay your sewer bill using your credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) via our website, at the office, or over the phone.

How can I pay my account automatically?
Available for all sewer bill customers either using a debit or credit card: go to our bill-pay site, bring your account current, check the box next to "After the transaction, use this payment information to automatically debit my account"

Residential monthly or quarterly customers: complete the Auto Pay form and get it to the RVSS office by the 20th of the month with a copy of a voided check. Auto Pay is through a checking or savings account only.

What is the balance on my account?
You can check your sewer account balance and history from the "My Account" tab or the home screen of our website. You must first register using your email address and Customer Number off of your bill. If you need to see where your Customer Number is located, there is a sample bill on the registration page. If you have already registered, click on "Customer Page" or "Pay Your Sewer Bill Now" on the "My Account tab or "Sewer Bill Pay, Account Access, Ebill Options" button on the Home page. You can also call our office during business hours at 541 664-6300 or 541 779-4144 to obtain information on any of your RVSS accounts.  If you have your nine-digit sewer account number, you can get your account balance at any time at 541-727-0234.

What fees could I expect before and after connecting to RVSS?
Although fees vary depending on where your development is located and what type of development you are planning, this fee summary lists our sewer service and stormwater quality rates for residential and commercial properties and development fees for a single family residence in all of the areas we serve. For actual fees for your specific property/development, please contact our office at 541 664-6300.

I've already paid my development fees. Why are you charging me again?
RVSS collects sewer system development charges for the three components of the sewer system: the collection system--the sewer into which your property directly ties; the interceptor--the large pipe into which the collection system flows; and the Regional Treatment Plant. If your development is within the city limits of Medford, you will pay the fee associated with the Regional Treatment Plant to Medford and the rest to RVSS. Jacksonville and Eagle Point collect all of the fees for RVSS. Other systems development charges that you may have paid include those for storm drain, roads, and parks--for which RVSS does not collect.

I don't have a storm drain. Why are you charging me for one?
The stormwater fee collected by RVSS supports the Stormwater Quality program mandated under the Federal Clean Water Act. This program is intended to protect and improve the quality of the water entering the streams from the more densely populated areas. Areas included in this program were determined based on residential density, not access to public storm drains. Click here for more information on our storm water program.

Where do I get my sewer permit?
RVSS issues sewer permits for unincorporated areas of Jackson County, Jacksonville, Eagle Point, White City, Central Point, Phoenix, and Talent. If the development is within the City of Medford and a new tap is required to an RVSS sewer line, RVSS will issue the tap permit, and the City of Medford will issue the permit to construct the service line. Jackson County issues sewer permits for Shady Cove and septic systems only.

Who do I call to inspect my service line?
RVSS performs the inspections on sewer service lines if the permit is issued by RVSS. We also perform the inspections in Shady Cove.

Who do I call for help with my sewer system?
Billing, customer service, and engineering questions can be answered by calling the front office at 541 779-4144 or 541 664-6300. If you are experiencing blockage or backups with your system, call the maintenance office at 541 779-4186.

How can I find the sewer on my property?
RVSS has drawings of many of our customers' service lines (pipes connected to the public sewer). These drawings can be picked up at our office or sent to you via fax, e-mail, or US Mail.

Who do I call first if I'm experiencing backups and slow drainage?
We recommend calling RVSS first. That way, if the problem you're experiencing stems from a problem in the public sewer main, we can fix it, without any additional cost to you. If the public sewer main is o.k., then you might need the help of a professional plumber.

Who is responsible for maintaining the sewer lines that run to my house?
The landowner is. RVSS maintains the mainlines within our service area. The mainlines are the pipes that run down the street(s), your service line starts at the connection to our mainline.

I'm told I have a STEP or a STEG system on my property, what does that mean?
A STEP system is a Septic Tank Effluent Pump system, and a STEG system is a Septic Tank Effluent Gravity system. These systems hold the solid waste and transport the liquid waste from your house to our mainline using a pump (STEP) or by gravity flow (STEG).

I have a pump system on my property, who do I call if I'm experiencing problems with it?
In most cases the property owner is responsible for maintaining the sewer pump on their property. RVSS does maintain a handful of the STEP and STEG systems throughout the service area. If you are unsure if RVSS maintains yours, the best thing to do is call RVSS before calling someone else to make any repairs. We will be able to tell you if the pump system on your property is one that we maintain.