Water Bills

WATER/SEWER IS BILLED QUARTERLY: January, April, July and October and due on the 20th of that same month. A 3% late fee assessed on any balance after the due date.  (Failure to receive bill does not exempt from penalty).                                                                   

Payment Methods:

• Cash - In person Mon - Fri, 8am - 4pm (please do not put cash in the drop box)
• Checks - In person Mon - Fri, 8am - 4pm or Drop Box (collected daily). If mailing, please mail to: Village of Genoa City, PO Box 428, Genoa City, WI 53128
• Credit Card - Option through ALLPAID, INC (fees apply, see below)
• Automatic ACH Withdrawals -  Please complete form (see below) and return to Village Hall. (Must include a VOIDED check)
• Online Banking - Use your own banks online bill payment process.

Delinquent Water Bills

Bill Collection Procedure

The purpose of the policy and procedures for handling past due and delinquent water bills is to address and reduce the amount of utility bills outstanding and potentially placed on the tax rolls. 

Billing

Bills for water services are rendered quarterly and become due and payable upon issuance following the period for which service is rendered. A late payment charge of 3% (but not less than .50 cents) will be added to bills not paid within 20 days of issuance. This ONE -TIME 3% late payment charge will be applied only to any unpaid balance for the current billing period’s usage. The utility customer may be given written notice that the bill is overdue no sooner than 20 days after the bill is issued. Unless payment or satisfactory arrangement for payment is made within the next 10 days, service may be disconnected pursuant to Wis. Admin. Code ch. PSC 185.37

Delinquent Notification Procedure

1. Water bills are due 20 days after the billing issuance date.
2. If not paid by the due date, a one one-time 3% penalty will be applied.
3. After 20 days, a written notice will be sent stating your bill is overdue and is subject to disconnection.
4. After notice is sent, you have 10 days to pay the water service arrears or service is subject to disconnection.
5. If you fail to pay the service arrears or make a reasonable deferred payment arrangement, a notice will be placed at residence and services will be disconnected. 
6. If you enter into a Deferred Payment Agreement and fail to make the deferred payments agreed upon, your services will again be subject to disconnection unless you pay the entire amount due within 10 days.
7. If your services are disconnected, a reconnection fee of $25 must be paid before water is turned back on. 

Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA)

A utility is required to offer Deferred Payment Agreements, per Wis. Admin. Code ch. PSC 185.38 if you are unable to pay your outstanding utility bill in full by the due date. A Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) will allow you to pay your balance due in installments to prevent disconnection to your utility service. A reasonable down payment must accompany the DPA (at least 25% of balance due).

If you default on your DPA, your services will be subject to disconnection. (See delinquent notification procedure, above)

To complete a DPA: Print the DPA form, located above (Utility Forms), or you can obtain at Village Hall or email request to: office@vi.genoacity.wi.gov.

Tax Roll Transfer Information

Per Wisconsin State Statute, 66.0809, municipalities are required to place delinquent water/sewer bills on the tax roll as a special charge against the property. The ability to collect for unpaid utility bills through the property tax roll helps keep the amount of municipal uncollectible debt to a minimum. 

• October 1st - Utility charges before this date not paid by November 15th will be transferred to the tax roll. 
• October 15th - A certification notice is sent to customers that have a balance from delinquent utility charges incurred before September 30th. This notice will indicate that if this amount is not paid by a specified date, the delinquent utility charges, along with a penalty, will be transferred to their tax bill. 
  
• November 1st - A penalty of 10% is assessed to those customers who have not paid utility charges incurred before September 30th. 
• November 16th - Unpaid utility charges incurred before September 30th are transferred to the tax roll along with the penalty assessed. 

Additional Attachments

PSC Fact Sheet: Deferred Payment Agreements