Billing Details

Procedure & Penalties

The City of Athens mails combined utility bills for water, sewer, and sanitation services to its customers. The city is divided into four cycles.

Bills are due approximately 20 days from the day mailed. If the bills are not paid, there is a penalty added to the account. The penalty is added at the time of the next billing, thus giving ample time for customers who choose to pay at local banks on the actual date the bill is due. There is a $15.00 delinquent letter charge. 
 
Bank payments are hand-delivered to the Utility Billing Office. A water turn-on or transfer fee of $35 is charged on all new accounts.

The following month's bill will include the any past due balances and any penalties. If the customer has made a payment, but did not include the late charge as part of the payment, then the balance is carried over as "past due."

When late payment is made after a penalty has been added, the computer first reduces the balance by the penalty amount, thus making the outstanding amount due on the principal amount of the account. Late charges are thus not compounded.

Past Due Accounts

When an account has a 30 day past due amount, a delinquent letter is sent to the service address and owner address giving the customer five days to pay bill.

If the balance is not paid by this due date, water is turned off and total amount of bill is due, plus a $40 reconnect fee, before service is reinstated.