Simplifying Water Bill Payment for Lower Rio Grande Customers

Paying your water bill can feel like a hassle sometimes. You get the bill in the mail, write a check, put it in an envelope, and mail it off, hoping it arrives on time But for customers of the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority (LRGPWWA) in southern New Mexico, paying your water bill is now easier than ever

The LRGPWWA serves over 16000 residential and business customers across 15 communities in Doña Ana County. With so many customers spread over a large rural area the utility works hard to provide convenient payment options. From online payments to payment drop boxes, LRGPWWA aims to make paying your water bill simple and stress-free.

As a Lower Rio Grande customer myself, I appreciate the multiple ways I can pay my water bill. Here’s an overview of the payment options available and tips for making sure your payment goes through on time.

In-Person Payments

The easiest way to pay your Lower Rio Grande water bill is to drop by one of the LRGPWWA offices. There are four office locations throughout the service area:

• Mesquite Office in Mesquite
• East Mesa Office in Butterfield Park
• Berino Office in Berino
• La Mesa Office in La Mesa

At the offices, you can pay by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card. The Mesquite office accepts credit card payments, for a small $2 transaction fee. The other offices only take cash, checks, or money orders.

Each office also has a payment drop box outside, so you can drop off a check or money order payment at any time without having to go inside. Just don’t put cash in the drop boxes.

Online Payments

For those who prefer the convenience of paying bills online, the LRGPWWA offers a few digital payment options:

• Website Online Payment: You can pay directly on the LRGPWWA website using a credit/debit card or electronic check. There is a small $1.25 transaction fee per payment.

• Automated Phone Payment: To make a payment by phone, call the toll-free number 1-888-565-3141 at any time. There is a $1. 25 transaction fee.

• Text Payment: After registering your account via the automated phone system, you can pay your water bill through text message.

The website for making payments also lets you see your balance, set up automatic payments, and get rid of paper bills with e-bills. When you pay online, make sure you use the official LRGPWWA site and not a payment site run by someone else.

Mail-In Payment

Of course, you can always pay your water bill the old-fashioned way: by mail. To join, just write a check or money order to Lower Rio Grande PWWA and send it to:

Lower Rio Grande PWWA
PO Box 2646
Anthony, NM 88021

Just make sure to allow 3-5 business days for your mailed payment to reach the utility office and be processed. Mail gets lost occasionally, so online or in-person payments are more reliable if paying close to the due date.

Payment Drop Box

Every LRGPWWA office has a secure payment drop box on site. You can drop off a check, money order, or debit/credit card payment slip anytime without having to go inside. The drop boxes are checked daily, so your payment will be processed no later than the next business day.

The drop boxes are located:

• Near the front gate at the Mesquite office
• On the front of the building at the East Mesa office
• Next to the front gate at the Berino office
• Next to the gate at the La Mesa office

Just don’t put cash in the drop boxes since they can’t be secured.

Pay Near the Due Date

Your Lower Rio Grande water bill is due by the 25th of each month. Payments received after 3pm on the due date incur a 15% late fee.

If your payment still isn’t received by the 15th of the following month, your account becomes delinquent and is charged a $50 delinquency fee. Delinquent accounts are subject to water service shut off.

To avoid late fees, make sure your payment arrives by the 25th. I recommend paying in person at one of the offices or using the online payment portal if paying close to the due date. That way, you know your payment will be processed right away.

Mailed payments can take a few days to arrive and risk being late. If the due date falls on a weekend or holiday when offices are closed, the drop box is the next best option for on-time payment.

Recurring Payments

You can simplify bill payment by setting up recurring automatic payments through the LRGPWWA online payment portal. This automatically pays your water bill from your checking account or credit card each month.

Recurring payments ensure your bill always gets paid on time, avoiding any late fees. And you don’t have to remember to manually pay each month. Just be sure your account has enough funds when the automatic payment date arrives.

Payment Arrangements

If you’re having trouble paying your water bill on time, call the LRGPWWA office to ask about making payment arrangements. This allows you to pay the past-due balance in installments over time.

Payment arrangements help avoid shut off of your water service for non-payment. The utility wants to keep you in service, as long as you make a good faith effort to pay what you owe.

Payment Assistance Programs

For low-income customers struggling to pay water bills, there are public assistance programs that provide bill payment help. These include:

• LIHEAP: This federally-funded program through the New Mexico Human Services Department provides emergency bill payment assistance.

• ERAP: The Emergency Rental Assistance Program can cover utility bills for renters impacted financially by COVID-19.

• Payment Plan: The LRGPWWA offers interest-free payment plans to spread out past-due balances over time.

Don’t hesitate to contact the LRGPWWA office to learn about payment help if you qualify. They want to keep your water flowing. Disconnection is always a last resort option.

Avoid Third-Party Payment Sites

When paying your Lower Rio Grande water bill online, stick to the utility’s official online payment portal. Some third-party payment sites like doxo.com charge extra fees and don’t always forward payments on time.

Doxo is not affiliated with or endorsed by the LRGPWWA in any way. Payments sent through third-parties often arrive late, resulting in late fees. For the most reliable service, only use lrgauthority.org/payment-options for online payments.

Communication is Key

If you are having issues with your water bill or making on-time payments, communicate proactively with the LRGPWWA office. Calling ahead of disconnection deadlines can help sort out payment arrangements, assistance programs, or other solutions.

The utility’s customer service team wants to keep you in service. Don’t wait until your water is shut off to ask for help. Contact them early on so a plan can be put in place.

One Monthly Bill Per Service Address

Each property or service address receives one consolidated monthly water/wastewater bill from the LRGPWWA, even if there are multiple dwellings on the same lot.

So if you have a mother-in-law-house or guest cottage behind your main home, all water usage gets bundled into one monthly bill for the overall property. Make sure any tenants you have contribute their portion for bill payment.

In Summary

Paying your water utility bill may not be the most exciting task, but the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority offers numerous payment options to make it as quick and easy as possible.

You can pay online 24/7, by phone, by mail, or in-person Monday-Friday. Recurring payments and drop boxes allow flexibility. And assistance programs help qualified customers stay in service.

As a Lower Rio Grande customer myself, I appreciate how they’ve simplified water bill payment to fit my busy lifestyle. The various options help me pay on time each month, avoiding any late fees or service disruptions.

So next time your LRGPWWA bill arrives, choose the payment method that works best for you. And as always, reach out to the utility’s exceptional customer service team if you ever have any questions, concerns, or hardships. They are there to help!