Public Water Authority
Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) - Amherst service area
Serving Amherst and Erie County service territory
Population served
92,697 people (EPA queue estimate for ECWA Amherst public water system)
State system code
FIPS 36
Billing frequency
Small meters may be read and billed quarterly or monthly. The 2026 ECWA tariff gives a 9,000-gallon quarterly commodity allowance for 5/8-, 3/4-, and 1-inch meters, or a 3,000-gallon allowance for monthly billing; larger meters follow separate allowances.
Provider briefing
How this utility’s billing works
Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) - Amherst service area operates as a public water authority serving Amherst and Erie County service territory. Customers should use the provider’s current account-specific bill and official customer-service instructions as the final authority for deadlines, balances, and service requests.
The published water-rate framework is described as Uniform commodity rate plus base-system and infrastructure-investment charges. Effective January 1, 2026, small meters use $5.57 per 1,000 gallons, with a quarterly total charge of $83.46 for a 9,000-gallon allowance ($50.13 base system fee plus $33.33 infrastructure charge), or $27.82 monthly for a 3,000-gallon allowance. Usage above the allowance is charged volumetrically; larger meters have separate schedules.. Bills are generated small meters may be read and billed quarterly or monthly. the 2026 ecwa tariff gives a 9,000-gallon quarterly commodity allowance for 5/8-, 3/4-, and 1-inch meters, or a 3,000-gallon allowance for monthly billing; larger meters follow separate allowances., and a typical residential cost reference is For a typical 5/8-, 3/4-, or 1-inch meter billed monthly and using 7,000 gallons, the 2026 tariff estimate is approximately $50.10: $27.82 monthly base/infrastructure charge plus about $22.28 for 4,000 gallons above the 3,000-gallon allowance at $5.57 per 1,000 gallons. If billed quarterly, 7,000 gallons remains within the 9,000-gallon allowance and the average monthly charge is $27.82. ECWA provides water only; sewer is normally a separate municipal or county service.. These descriptions are useful planning benchmarks; actual charges can change with meter size, usage, sewer averaging, local taxes, drought stages, or account-specific fees.
Wastewater and sewer calculation
ECWA's tariff covers potable-water service rather than municipal wastewater. There is no ECWA sewer line, winter average, or percentage tie-in in the Authority's water tariff; customers in Amherst and the surrounding territory should identify the separate sewer provider and its bill before estimating a combined utility cost.
Meter and infrastructure notes
The 2026 tariff specifies that small and large meters may be read and billed quarterly or monthly, with billing rounded to the nearest thousand gallons. It does not publicly identify whether the Amherst system uses AMI, AMR radio transmission, or manual reads for each route.
Emergency water support
Report a leak or water emergency
716-684-0900 for emergencies after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends. Customer service is 716-849-8444 on weekdays, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; the Authority's payment page does not publish a separate leak-only hotline.
Official starting point
Choose the right next step
Reading this profile
A practical reference for Amherst and Erie County service territory
Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) - Amherst service area is listed here as a public water authority. The profile separates account actions—such as paying a bill or requesting service—from explanatory material about rates, meters, wastewater, leaks, and delinquency.
Because utility rules can vary by account class, meter size, service address, billing date, and local ordinance, treat the published bill and current provider website as the final authority. Use this profile to locate the correct channel and prepare better questions for customer service.
If your issue is urgent, start with the provider’s emergency number or official payment route rather than waiting for an email response. Keep a written record of calls, confirmation numbers, notice dates, and documents you submit.