Frequently Asked Questions

Cloudy water commonly is caused by air in the water.

The Wastewater Treatment Facility processes Class B Bio-Solids, which are treated, but still contain detectable levels of pathogens. This Class is authorized for some crop use, however, use by the general public for fertilizer is not authorized. Even for farming use there are buffer requirements, public access and crop harvesting restrictions. Please contact Anca Jucan, Laboratory Analyst at 276-1280 for information regarding Bio-Solids Land Application requirements.

You may call the Service and Finance Department for the City of Garden City at 620-276-1100.

A sewer backflow prevention device allows water and materials that back up to escape through the cleanout rather than flowing into the home. Many backup prevention devices can be installed by the homeowner or a plumber. If not already installed, this item will be required if you remodel or add a bathroom to your home.

You may report any outages, downed lines, partial power, broken street lights, or other electrical problems the City of Garden City would be responsible for to us at 620-276-1290, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. After hours please call the Garden City Law Enforcement Center at 620-276-1300.

It means our Flex Net System detected higher than normal usage on your meter along with constant usage as well.

The City will notify residents and businesses prior to performing sewer line maintenance in their area by leaving a door knocker with the dates and times of said maintenance. Sewer lines can develop air pressure or a partial vacuum from the cleaning process. Usually any excess air pressure or vacuum will dissipate through the plumbing vents, but occasionally there are facilities with inadequate plumbing vents (i.e., no vents, undersized vents or obstructed vents). In the case of inadequate venting, air pressure could escape through the toilet, floor, sink, tub or shower drains, causing water to splash out or, a vacuum could draw the water out of the fixture traps causing and unpleasant odor. To guard against this possibility: cover all floor drains with plastic and place a weight on the plastic, cover all toilets with plastic and close the lid on the plastic, and for odor, run water into each drain to refill the traps.

When routine sewer line maintenance is performed on the City sewer mains, it is not uncommon for the vacuuming process to draw the water out of your fixtures, causing an unpleasant odor. To eliminate this odor it is recommended to run water into each drain to refill the traps. Opening windows or dispersing a small amount of liquid cleaner, such as Pine-Sol into the drains can also help eradicate the odor more quickly. Occasionally, pervasive sewer odor is an indication of a more serious problem and may require inspection. The City will respond to a sewer odor complaint upon receipt of a service request.

The City performs routine sewer main line inspection with the use of a TV Inspection camera unit. If, during the course of these inspections, a blockage is discovered in a service connection, the City will send a notification letter to the residence or business owner, along with a photograph of the blockage. Upon receipt of said notification, the City recommends you call a professional plumber.

For a list of licensed plumbers, contact Community Development at 276-1170.

For questions regarding utility billing please contact the City of Garden City's Service and Finance department at 276-1100.

You may call Kansas One-Call at 800-DIG SAFE (800-244-7233).

The City Wastewater Collections Department has a combination Jet/Vac unit and a CCTV Inspection unit that can be used to check for or remove blockage in the City sewer mains; however, this equipment cannot be used to clean or inspect private service lines. If your service line is running slow or is backing up, it is recommended you call a professional plumber.

The City will use its equipment to check the sewer main to ensure there is no blockage in the City's line.

For a list of licensed plumbers, contact Community Development at 276-1170.