Utility Billing FAQ’S
Do you have
questions about your water and sewer bill? Here are a few
questions that are frequently asked by our residents:
What options
do I have when paying my utility (water/sewer) bill?
The City of
Lindstrom now offers a number of convenient ways to pay your
quarterly utility bill:
-
Cash
Checks are
accepted in person, by mail, or when deposited in drop
box located in front of City Hall. Our mailing address
is: 13292 Sylvan Avenue, Lindstrom, MN 55045. Please be
sure to include your payment stub whenever possible to
ensure credit to the correct account. If you don’t have
your stub, please indicate the physical address attached
to the account.
Direct
Payment – Each quarter, the amount of your bill will be
withdrawn from your checking/savings account on the due
date. No more worries about those late fees. Call
Carrie (651-257-0621) for more information.
Credit/Debit
cards are now accepted at City Hall. Currently, we
accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
Online
Payments (Residential Customers Only) – The City of
Lindstrom now has a Web Store! At the top of this page,
you may notice a link to make a water/sewer payment
online using a MasterCard or Visa credit/debit card.
Please note that this option is only available to
residential customers. There is a $3 convenience fee per
online transaction. Please allow up to five working days
for processing of online payments.
How often will I
receive a bill?
Utility bills are
processed quarterly. The billing periods are: January-March,
April-June, July-September, and October-December. You
can expect to receive your bill within 5-10 days after the
meter readings are taken.
Does the City
read my water meter?
Yes. The City now uses a radio system to read all water
meters. Readings are done as close to the last day of
each quarter as possible. If you question the reading when you receive
your quarterly bill, feel free to call Carrie at
651-257-0621.
I leave for the
winter. Should I change my mailing address?
Lindstrom has a
number of residents who enjoy the warmer weather south of us
in the winter months. Since your winter home is only for the
season, we discourage changing your address on our records. It
seems to work well if you have your mail forwarded to your
winter home. If you're concerned your payment won't reach us
by the due date, it may be a good idea to call Carrie at
651-257-0621.
How much is
an average utility bill?
An average
water and sewer bill for a family of three is about $125
quarterly. Your bill includes fixed charges for Base
Water, Base Sewer, Storm Water Management, and a State
Test Fee. Water and Sewer Usage is billed according to the
usage indicated from the meter reading, with a 5,000
gallon minimum on Sewer Usage. Everyone has different
habits when it comes to water use, and this will affect
your bill each quarter. It’s always a good idea to
conserve water as much as possible.
What happens
if my payment is late?
A penalty of 10% of the unpaid balance will be added to the
account in the event the balance is not paid in full by
the due date indicated on the bill.
I’m selling
my house. How do I receive a final bill?
Once you know
your closing date, it’s very important that you contact
Carrie at City Hall (651-257-0621). Closers do not always
follow up with final bills for utilities, and it’s easy to
overlook some bills at such a busy time. The City
sometimes may not even know that resident has moved and
someone new has moved in, unless the seller or buyer
contacts us. Remember, a final bill can only be processed
with a meter reading – we rely on the sellers to provide
us with that reading close to the closing date. Once we
have a closing date, we will take a meter reading and
calculate the final bill You may come in at your
convenience, before closing, to pay it. It’s a good idea to bring the receipt
to closing – this proves you have fulfilled your
obligation through the closing date.
I’m buying a
house. Do I need to let anyone know?
Absolutely!
Please call us to verify the new owner information,
mailing address, and closing date. Please call Carrie at
City Hall (651-257-0621). Water and sewer bills are
attached to the property, and as the new property owner,
you become responsible for any balance remaining on the
account after closing. We want to help assure that
the previous owner has fulfilled their obligation and
paid all water and sewer bills to the date of closing.
Sometimes, in their busy schedule, sellers overlook
contacting us and we are not even aware the property has
changed hands.
Who should I contact if I have
other questions?
Please call Carrie at (651-257-0621).