Frequently Asked Questions

We encourage you to use the information provided on this page to assess your bill. 

Alternatively, you can email, call, or direct message us on Facebook, but please be aware that, given the volume of questions, the response could take up to two weeks. 

We understand there is a due date on the bill, but if you have sent a message and are awaiting a response, you can wait to pay until you hear back from us without a penalty or late fee. 

Isolated errors primarily due to human error have been found. While errors have not been found in the new billing software process to date, an audit is underway to ensure the accuracy of the bills. Visit the Audit FAQs tab to learn more.  

Bills have been mailed at unusual times compared to historical 30-day utility bills.  

We've put together an example of a monthly billing schedule to help you review your bills and know what to expect moving forward. 

Your schedule may have different dates, but the general example of the billing periods should be the same unless you were one of the few customers who received a 3-month bill.  

To check your billing period, look at the top right side of the bill for the period of each billing cycle.  

The dates should be the same from the end of one period to the beginning of the next (e.g., 8/5-9/5 and 9/5-10/5). 

To avoid overlap, the time of day meter readings are taken will rotate from one billing cycle to the next. For example, for the first bill, meter readings are taken during the day, and then for the following bill, the meter will be read in the hours after. 

•Rate increases were effective at the start of the new fiscal year on 7/1.  

•Stormwater fees were previously part of your taxes. The stormwater fee was removed from taxes and placed onto your utility bill. 

•The garbage charge is based on the bill date, not the service date, so it sometimes covers periods longer than 30 days. See the FAQ below - Why doesn’t my solid waste (garbage fee) look right? 

•On average, water, wastewater, and solid waste fees increased by 7.8%.  

•Learn about Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater  fees. 

We understand if you need a few months to catch up on your utility bill. If that's the case, you do not need to contact us for now.

We are not currently offering payment plans because we are not charging late fees. 

You can make payments as you can, and if you are not caught up when late fees are reinstated, we can set up a payment plan at that time. 

The meter that records water consumption has not changed with this conversion. Meters are tested before they are installed; if they fail, they read low or do not read at all. Due to the type of meters in the system, they do not increase consumption over time or when they have problems. Click here to watch a video to see how meters are tested for accuracy.

Due to the hot weather, the city's overall water consumption increased by 29% from the same time last year, as shown in the graph. While not everyone's use was 29% higher, the overall system demand was 29% higher, which means usage increased for some properties and decreased for others. 

 As a large-scale gut check, we looked at how much water was produced in June, July, and August 2024 and how much the meters read for all accounts. The plant produced 3,453 MG, and we billed for 2,932 MG, which is a difference of 15%. The last estimation for unaccounted-for water was 14%, so these numbers are reasonable. We will continue to monitor our unaccounted-for water to ensure it continues to track consistently. 

Please remember that charges for solid waste services are based on the date the bill is posted. Since the bills have been mailed more than 30 days apart, the service period for solid waste has been greater than 30 days for many customers. The garbage fee will be at the normal monthly rate when the cycles are back to 30 days, and there will be a month that is less than a full 30-day fee before that. See the images below that further explain the calculation. 

The 2020-2023 summer water consumption numbers are available here. Instructions will guide you in looking up your past account balances. 

Late fees and shut-offs were suspended when the billing conversion went live due to concerns about the accuracy of the bills.  Since the conversion, the City has worked with customers to ensure bills are accurate. After almost 1 ½ years, the regular process for late fees and shut-offs is set to commence for outstanding balances from the November bill.  Depending on the billing cycle, late fees will start in December and January and turnoffs will commence in January and February.  In order to avoid late fees, please pay the balance on the bill.  If that is not possible, we are happy to work with you to set up a payment plan.  Entering into a payment plan and meeting the plan's requirements will avoid shut-off of service.   

We strongly encourage customers to reserve an approximate amount that will be due based on previous years’ bills during the same time frame. Some customers have decided to make payments for anticipated amounts to ensure that they do not spend that money on other items. 

The new online portal is accountadmin.billingsmtpublicworks.gov 

If you’ve received an email notification from Billings Public Works that your bill is ready, please follow the links on the email to view your invoice, pay your bill, or log into the online portal to manage your utilities. 

Here’s a video tutorial and a detailed written guide with screenshots on how to do so.  

Remember, if you ever logged into the old system, use your email and password from the existing system to log in – do not create a new user.  If you can’t remember it, put in your email and click “forgot password.”  If it does not recognize the email, use your account number to create a new account. If it does recognize you, reset your password, but do not create a new account. 

Besides already having an account (see above), the biggest reason people are not able to create a new account is that they put too much information in when creating a new online account. If you enter more than one field, it will not work. The easiest way is to use the number of your house – in other words, if you live at 123 Main Street, enter “123” and nothing else. Leave SSN and Date of Birth blank.   

Please utilize the automated phone payment system at (406)657-8315 (Option 1) or pay with a check and mail it to our Customer Service Center, 2251 Belknap Ave, Billings MT 59101. You can also drop off a check in person at the service center.

If you have any questions about your bill, please do not hesitate to reach us at 1(406)657-8315 (option 3), or by email at utilities@billingsmt.gov