Billing FAQs
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about billing, water service and utility accounts.
Account Ownership
What do I need to do when I buy a new property?
The City of Great Falls establishes utility accounts for owners of properties. After you close at the title company, you may either call (406) 727-7660 or come into our office at the Civic Center, Room 104 to set up service. We will provide utility contracts in person, by mail or by email that must be filled out in order for us to continue providing service to your property. Once they are filled out, either mail them, bring them into our office, or email them to utilities@greatfallsmt.net. If filled out online, contracts are automatically sent to us once submitted. We require a photo ID for validation and a utility deposit may be required. It is the responsibility of each owner to contact us by phone at (406) 727-7660 option 2 or in person in order to initiate service.
What do I need to do when I sell my property?
Please call our office after you have closed at the title office to arrange for a final meter reading at your current address. You must have the name of the buyers with you when you call as we require this to establish their new service. We will close your utility account, process a final bill, and mail it to your new address. If you are moving to another address in our service area, please make arrangements for the water service at your new address. It is the responsibility of each owner to contact us by phone at (406) 727-7660 option 2 or in person in order to initiate service.
How do I set up service as a renter?
We no longer put utility accounts in renter's names. All utility accounts must be in the owner or property manager's name. Contact your landlord to see how they would prefer to have the bill taken care of.
What do I do if I need to have water services turned off?
As part of establishing service with us, we require that all owners have a completed water authorization form on file, signed by the owner of the property, in order to be able to disconnect the water service in the future if necessary. If you need the water turned off at your property, call our office at (406) 727-7660 to set up an appointment for turn-off. There is a $75.00 fee for termination of service. When you are ready to have service restored, another appointment must be made to meet you or your representative at the location.
If you have broken water pipes that cannot be shut off at the entrance valve in the building, or sewer backing up in floor drains or toilets, call (406) 727-7660 option 2 Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and (406) 727-1325 after hours, weekends or holidays. Water will be terminated after hours for emergencies only. Water will not be restored after hours.
What do I do if the name or address on my bill is incorrect?
Either call our office at (406) 727-7660 option 2 with the desired correction, or make the correction on the return portion of your statement as you enclose it with your payment. Staff will note the correction.
Payments
How do I pay my utility bill?
You can pay your bill in the following ways:
- Online: You can visit the utilities payment website to enter your account information and make an online payment by e-check or by card. You can also set up automatic payments if you register an account with an email and password.
- Phone: You can call (406) 727-7660 option 1 to make a payment using our automated phone line service. You can use your bank account and routing number, or pay with a card.
- Bank Draft: You can have your payments drafted directly from your bank account each month by filling out our bank draft application form, which we can either mail or send a link to fill out online. You will need to provide a either voided check or a letter from your bank on letterhead indicating the routing number and bank account number to be debited.
- Bill Pay: Most banks will have an option to pay your bills through their online portal. Contact your bank or go online to their website to see how to set up a bill pay with your bank account. Please use your full account number including the dash and the last 3 digits to ensure payment is received properly. If filled out incorrectly, bill payments through the bank could drop to a mailed check and could take up to two weeks to reach us, so please insure your information is correct when setting up bill pay.
- In-Person: You can stop by our window and pay with card, cash or check.
- Drop Box: If we are not open, we have two drop boxes: one out in the parking lot of the Civic Center on the Convention Center side and one by the utilities window inside the building. There are envelopes provided for you to place your payment in. If you are red tagged for shutoff, please do not use the drop boxes for payment. If you have a red tag payment in the drop box, please immediately call us to let us know that you have paid, otherwise you will still be at risk of shutoff.
If you make a payment with a card, it can take up to two business days for your payment to post. Please note that we do not accept American Express cards for any payments.
How do I make a payment on more than one account?
Please write on both the check and return portion of your statement the amount you wish to be applied to each account so that our staff can apply the correct amounts accordingly. One check may be written for multiple accounts.
Financial Assistance
Does the city provide budget billing?
We do not have budget billing available. However, we allow customers to keep a credit of up to $500 on their utility account to provide some funds for the summer months when bills are higher.
I am having trouble paying my utility bill. What are my options?
There are several options for assistance with paying utility bills available throughout the city.
- Utility Share Program: The City of Great Falls has an assistance program for those customers who find themselves faced with termination of services for non-payment and have no means to pay. This program is administered by Opportunities, Inc. If you would like to donate to this cause, you may make a contribution to Opportunities, Inc. P.O. Box 2288, Great Falls, MT 59403. Please specify this is for the Utility Share Program. If you should need assistance, you may contact Opportunities, Inc., Community Resource Center, at (406) 761-0310 to apply for this program.
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): LIHEAP is a program that helps low-income individuals and households reduce their heating costs. If your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, you may qualify automatically for assistance. If a LIHEAP participant has utilities included in their rent, they must provide rent receipts, and their LIHEAP payment can't exceed 50% of their rent. For more information or to apply: https://dphhs.mt.gov/HCSD/energyassistance/index
Delinquent Accounts
When is my account considered delinquent?
All bills are due and payable 15 days after the bill date. The property is subject to termination of service if the bill is left unpaid. If termination should occur, all outstanding fees and re-connection fees must be paid before service is restored.
What happens when my account goes to collections?
If a former owner leaves an outstanding balance, these charges will follow him/her to the new property he/she owns, if it is in our jurisdiction. If the owner has moved away from the city, we will send a delinquent final notice. If left unpaid, this outstanding amount will be forwarded to a collection agency.
Accounts where the water has been shut off that remain unpaid will be sent to a collection agency for immediate collection action. Service will not be restored until all charges and fees have been paid in full.
Equipment and Maintaining Services
What is the city's utility responsibility vs the property owner's responsibility?
The Water Department is responsible for supplying water that meets all state and federal standards. The Water Department owns and maintains the water meter and equipment that carries the water from our treatment plant to your tap on the water main. The tap connects your service line to the property.
The property owner is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the curb box, service line, and other attached equipment. We require that you protect your water meter from vandalism and cold weather. If your meter should freeze and break, you will be billed for the replacement water meter.
How is my water read each month?
Your water meter is read each month to determine your water consumption. Most residential and commercial meters are read by remote equipment. This means our meter readers do not need to enter your home or business to obtain a water meter reading. A black box is located on the exterior of the building and a reading is taken with a hand-held recorder.
It is against the law for customers to tamper with a meter or with related utility equipment. This is to assure that water use is properly recorded. Meter damage or tampering charges may be billed to a customer's account and may result in termination of utility services if not paid.
What do I do if my water bill is higher than normal?
If your monthly bill has a noticeable increase in consumption that can't be accounted for, please call Utilities Customer Service at (406) 727-7660 option 2. If needed, a service technician will visit your home to help you determine the cause. When the problem is identified, we ask that you contact the plumber of your choice to have the repairs made. You may also reference our high water consumption checklist for more assistance.
How do I check for leaks in my house?
Check the reading on your water meter before retiring for the night. Then check the meter the first thing in the morning. If the reading has increased and no water was used during the night, you may have a leak. Remember to account for ice-makers, humidifiers, or other appliances that operate during night hours.
If you suspect a leaky toilet, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and let it sit for several hours. If the dye has colored the water in the bowl, there is a leak.
Luckily, toilet leaks are easy and relatively easy to fix. Typically you will only need to replace the flapper in the toilet tank or the seal at the bottom of the tank, both which can be bought at any local hardware store. If you need more assistance finding the issue, please call your plumber of choice.
