December 2009 will bring significant improvements in the way you are billed for water, sewer and/or other services you are currently billed for on your utility bill from the City of Raleigh. The City wants to provide you with advance notice of the changes so you will have the information you need before the changes occur. Information will also be provided on the City of Raleigh website at http://www.raleighnc.gov/ and through various other media.

What are the changes? These are the major changes in December:

• All customers will be billed monthly. If you have been receiving your utility bill bi-monthly, you will begin to receive monthly bills. Customers who are billed in the month of October will begin monthly billing in November so that all customers will be on the new monthly schedule in December.
• All customers will receive a new account number on their December utility bill.  If customers pay their bills electronically, they will need this information to provide to their bank for payment.  In addition, customers will send payments via mail to a new address and all customers will need to be aware of that change to ensure timely receipt of payments by the City of Raleigh.
• Tiered water and sewer rates will begin December 2009 for single meter residential dwellings. There will be three tiers and each tier will have a different rate:
  • 0-4 CCF's (1 CCF = 748 gallons)
  • 5-10 CCF's
  • 11 CCF's and greater
• Irrigation meters will be billed on the same bill with domestic meters, so, if you have an irrigation meter, you will only receive one bill that will show charges for each service you receive.
• Raleigh residents who receive solid waste and recycling services will see these services as separate line items on their bill.
• Electronic billing will be available for any customer who would prefer to receive their bill via email rather than through the mail. You can contact Utility Billing at 890-3245 at any time to provide your email address and request that you begin receiving E-bills in December.

More detailed information will be coming throughout the fall!  The City is also working on additional enhancements that will be made next year.  Watch for inserts in your utility bill, information on the City of Raleigh website, printed materials, etc.  For additional information,  contact Karen Hanny at 250-7677 or Karen.Hanny@ci.raleigh.nc.us .