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CITY OF WHITEFISH UTILITY DEPARTMENT 418 E. 2nd Street • P.O. Box 158 Whitefish, MT 59937 New Customer Utility Brochure The following information is provided to help you understand the City’s water and sewer billing and payment procedures. Please read the information provided carefully and don’t hesitate to ask our staff for assistance if you have any questions. Water and Sewer Related Emergencies If you have broken water pipes that cannot be shut off at the entrance valve in the building, sewer backing up in the floor drains or toilets, call [PHONE REDACTED] during working hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Monday—Friday, and 406-863- 2420 after hours, weekends or holidays. To find out if you have a leak, you may want to check • Your toilet - It is not uncommon to lose thousands of gallons a day to a toilet leak. These are not always easily detectable. You can check for leaks by putting 10 drops of food coloring in the tank (red or green are best) and let it sit overnight without flush- ing. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired. Check the flapper in the tank every year. • Dishwasher and clothes washer - Look for drips or stains underneath or behind these ap- pliances. • Indoor and outdoor faucets - Replace worn gaskets and washers. • Sprinkler systems - Check for damaged sprin- kler system heads and system leaks. Tips on saving water at home • Turn off the tap when not in use. • Install water-efficient taps and showerheads to cut water usage. • Take shorter showers and turn off the shower while lathering and washing your hair. • Turn water off when you brush your teeth. • Rinse dishes in a plugged sink rather than un- der running water. • Use a pail of water to wash your car rather than a hose. • Collect water from your roof to water your gar- den. • Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads. Utility Billing Office Hours Monday—Friday 8:00 to 5:00 (Except for Holidays) Phone (406) 863-2456 Email [EMAIL REDACTED] To pay your bill by phone call (406) 863-2400 To pay online go to www.cityofwhitefish.org City Non-Emergency Numbers City Hall (406) 863-2400 Building/Planning (406) 863-2414 Court Department (406) 863-2440 Fire Department (406) 863-2483 Parks & Recreation (406) 863-2470 Police Department (406) 863-2420 Attorneys Office (406) 863-2445 City Library (406) 862-9914 Community Information (406) 862-3501 (406) 758-1000 (406) 758-5910 Chamber of Commerce CenturyLink (phone) Flathead County Landfill Flathead Electric Co-op (after Hours-Emergency) (406) 751-4483 751-4449 Northwestern Energy (Gas) Charter (Cable) U-Dig Call Center (406)751-2210 (877)273-7626 (406) 755-8344 (Call before you dig) USPS (post office) (406) 862-2151 Whitefish Mountain Sewer Dist. (406) 862-1900 Whitefish Schools Elementary School (K-4th) (406) 862-8643 Middle School (5th-8th) (406) 862-8650 High School (9th-12th) (406) 862-8600 Remember Dial 911 For Emergencies! ---PAGE BREAK--- Customer Service Information Starting Service To set up a new utility account, an Owner Application must be completed. Application forms are available at the Utility Billing counter in City Hall, or can be completed and submitted through the City's website: www.cityofwhitefish.org. Automatic Payment Plan The City of Whitefish offers an Automatic payment plan that will not only save you the cost of a stamp, but gives you the peace of mind that your bill is paid on time. When you enroll in the plan you will receive your bill as usual. Authorization forms are available at the Utility Billing counter. Complete the form and submit it with a voided check to the Utility Clerk. On the tenth of each month, the net amount of your bill will be automatically debited from your checking account. Payment Methods Payments may be made by mail, in person at City Hall (418 E 2nd Street), in our drop box available in the foyer next to the office or by phone [PHONE REDACTED]. Customers can also make payments by credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard) online at www.cityofwhitefish.org. On the main web page select Pay Online; you will need your Web Id which is located on your bill or call the Water Department for that infor-mation. Returned Payments Any payments that are returned for Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) are charged a $25.00 fee. Garbage Pickup The City of Whitefish has contracted with Republic Service to provide garbage service. Garbage is a mandatory service that is billed by the City and Republic Service is the company that provides the physical removal. Refuse is collected weekly, items should be placed at the curb prior to 7:00am on the day of pick-up. If you have any questions regarding your billing, please contact the Utility Billing Department at [PHONE REDACTED]. If you need to set up new garbage service for a new home, or make changes to your current service, please contact Republic Service at [PHONE REDACTED] for assistance. Utility Billing Schedule • Utility bills are mailed or e-billed at the end of every month. • Utility bills are due and payable upon receipt. Any bills not paid by the 20th of each month, will be considered delinquent • Utility bills become delinquent on the 21st day following the original bill date. At that time a late notice will be sent. • In this late notice it will inform you of a date that a door tag will be hung and a $25.00 fee applied with it, as well as the date that water will be turned off if payment is not made. • If the account continues to remain delinquent, on the turn off date, a $50.00 fee will be added to the account, whether or not the water is physically turned off. Once an account lands on the turn-off list, the full balance must be paid before water will be turned back on. Non-Delivery of Bill Late or non-delivery of utility bills by the post of- fice does not void the utility billing and payment polices. If the post office has not delivered your bill by the 5th of the month, contact the Utility Billing office E-bills You can now have your utility bill sent directly to an email. It’s FREE and if you don't like it you can change it back at anytime. For more information contact the Utility Billing Clerk. SUMMER WATERING Qualifying residential customers who do not have a separate irrigation meter are allowed a summer watering maximum of 12,000 gallons per month for water at a reduced rate, based on the average used during the seven billing periods from November through May. Residential customers with no consistent or consecutive usage during one of the seven billing periods from November through May are not allowed an average for the summer months. Sewer charges are based on the average used during the seven billing periods from November through May. Contact the Utility Billing Department to determine if you qualify for the summer watering average. For those who use a lot of outside water, such as for lawn sprinkling, it is possible to purchase a separate meter for sprinkling. This meter is purchased through the Utility Billing office, and the cost of purchase and installation by a licensed plumber is the property owner’s responsibility. Some facts about summertime sprinkling: • Most lawns only need 1 inch of water each week, which can easily be achieved by sprinkling your lawn for about an hour once a week. • Watering at night or early in the morning is best, as water evaporates quickly during the heat of the day. • Less frequent watering actually encourages deeper, healthier lawn roots. • Don't cut your grass too short. Grass retains more moisture if mowed to about 2.5 to 3 inches. • Aerating your lawn by punching holes in it about 4 inches apart can allow for better water absorption and a healthier lawn. • Raking compost over your lawn can also im- prove moisture retention and reduce the need for fertilizers. • Reducing weeds in your lawn and garden can lessen the competition for water and fertilizer. • Mulching your garden with organic matter improves nutrient content, water retention, reduc- es erosion and discourages weeds while reducing water evaporation in your garden. • More yard tips, visit www.msuextension.org - Yard & Garden.