Paying Your Water Bill in Lincoln, Nebraska: A Guide to the Lincoln Water System

If you live in Lincoln Nebraska paying your monthly water bill to the Lincoln Water System (LWS) is an essential part of being a resident. Here’s a helpful guide to understanding your LWS water bill, the various payment options, assistance programs, and other key details for Lincoln homeowners and renters.

Overview of the Lincoln Water System

The LWS provides drinking water and sewer services to over 280,000 residents across Nebraska’s capital city and surrounding areas The utility is part of the City of Lincoln’s Transportation and Utilities Department

Key facts about the LWS:

• Supplies water to around 100,000 households and businesses

• Operates and maintains over 1,400 miles of water mains

• Treats up to 60 million gallons of water per day

• Uses advanced treatment like ozonation and biological activated carbon filters

• Monitors water quality continuously to ensure safety and purity

• Reads meters and sends out monthly utility bills to customers

• Offers various payment options and assistance programs

As a public utility, the LWS is focused on delivering reliable and affordable water to the community. Understanding your water bill and payment choices allows you to manage this regular expense of Lincoln homeownership.

Your LWS Water Bill Explained

LWS water bills follow a billing cycle of reading, processing, mailing bills, and receiving payment each month. Here are key elements of the LWS bill:

• Service address: The location receiving water/sewer service.

• Account number: Your unique customer account ID number.

• Billing date: The date your bill was processed and mailed.

• Due date: Payment must be received by this date to avoid late fees. Usually 21 days after the billing date.

• Previous balance: Any past due amount carried over if the last bill wasn’t paid in full.

• Payments received: Record of payments processed since the previous bill.

• Water usage charges: Based on the water meter reading in hundreds of cubic feet (CCF).

• Wastewater charges: Based on your water consumption.

• Service fees: Fixed monthly water and sewer service fees.

• Taxes: Nebraska sales tax on water usage and services.

• Total amount due: Sum of all charges and taxes for that billing period.

Carefully reviewing the detailed breakdown of costs each month allows you to understand your water usage and what you owe.

Paying Your LWS Bill

The LWS offers several ways to pay your monthly water bill:

• Online: Pay by credit/debit card or electronic check via the secure payment portal.

• Phone: Call the automated payment line to pay with a card by phone.

• Mail: Send a check or money order with your payment stub to the LWS payment processing P.O. box.

• In person: Visit the LWS Business Office on the 2nd floor of the City County Building downtown.

• Drop box: Place your payment in one of the secure drop boxes around Lincoln.

• Auto-pay: Enroll to have payments automatically debited from your account every month.

• Paperless billing: Go paperless by signing up to receive bills electronically via email.

When paying online, the account number and a location zip code are needed. You can also use the printed payment stub from your paper bill. Payments may take 1-2 billing cycles to reflect on your account.

Payment Assistance Programs

If you’re struggling to keep up with water payments, Lincoln offers assistance:

• Payment plans: The LWS can establish monthly payment plans for past-due balances.

• LIHEAP: Low-income heating and energy assistance program providing utility bill grants.

• Short-term aid: Groups like St. Vincent de Paul offer short-term water bill aid.

• Crisis funds: Limited emergency funds are available for shut-off avoidance.

• Bill discounts: Low-income seniors and the disabled can receive bill discounts.

• Conservation: Water audits and appliance upgrades can reduce usage and bills.

Contact the LWS as soon as you anticipate difficulty paying a bill to discuss arrangements and avoid disconnection.

Key Billing Policies

Familiarize yourself with these key LWS billing policies:

• Bills are issued monthly and are typically due 21 days after billing.

• Late fees of 1.5% are applied to past due balances.

• Accounts 30+ days late are subject to water service disconnection.

• A $30 fee is charged for all returned or bounced payments.

• Customers are responsible for keeping accounts current when vacating a property.

• Final bills need to be paid before utility service is disconnected.

• Property owners are ultimately responsible for unpaid tenant balances.

Avoiding High Water Bills

While water rates in Lincoln are quite reasonable, you can take steps to control usage and billing:

• Monitor your usage patterns monthly to catch spikes early.

• Check for leaks and faulty plumbing driving up water usage.

• Install water-efficient fixtures like low-flow toilets and showerheads.

• Run full loads in washing machines and dishwashers.

• Avoid wasting water on lawns and landscaping.

• Sign up for free water audits to identify savings opportunities.

• Take advantage of rebates on water-saving appliances and controllers.

Changes to Accounts or Service

If you need to update account information or request service changes, contact the LWS Customer Service team at 402-441-7551 or visit the office on the 2nd floor of the City County Building. You can:

• Start or stop service when moving in or out.

• Transfer service to a new address.

• Update contact information like phone and email.

• Request to enroll in paperless billing and auto-pay options.

• Ask billing questions or dispute unusual charges.

• Set up payment plans for past due balances.

Keeping your account information current ensures accurate billing and communication about your water service needs.

Key Takeaways on LWS Billing

• LWS provides water and sewer utilities to Lincoln residents

• Monthly bills are based on metered usage plus service fees

• Pay online, by phone, mail, auto-pay, or in person

• Assistance can help qualified customers manage payments

• Monitoring usage patterns helps control water bills

• Contact Customer Service to update accounts or request changes

Understanding LWS billing details, payment choices, and account management allows Lincoln households to smoothly handle this regular utility expense. Check your monthly bill carefully and pay on time to avoid late fees or disruption of your essential water service.