Paying your water bill is an essential responsibility as a resident of Marion. All homes and businesses in Marion get clean, safe water to drink from the Marion Water Department. They work hard to provide this important service in a way that is both affordable and good for the environment. However, the water department can’t function without being paid for their services. As clients, it’s our job to pay our water bills on time and in full every month or three months. This article will tell you everything you need to know to easily pay your Marion Water Department water bill and avoid late fees or trouble with your service.
Overview of Marion Water Department
The Marion Water Department is a public utility owned by the city of Marion to supply water for around 38000 residents and businesses. They pump groundwater from wells and reservoirs around Marion County. This water is treated at facilities to ensure it meets all federal and state safety regulations before being distributed through an underground piping system.
The water department has provided water services to Marion since the late 1800s. Today, their service area covers not just the city of Marion but also sells water at wholesale rates to outlying water companies. The reliable, high-quality water provided by the Marion Water Department is essential for our community’s health and economic development.
When are Water Bills Due in Marion?
If your home or business is in Marion city limits, the Marion Water Department will send you a water bill either once a month or three times a year.
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Monthly billing cycles – Bills are mailed on the 10th of each month and due by the 28th of that same month
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Quarterly billing cycles – Bills are mailed in January, April, July, and October. They are due by the 28th of those months.
Late payments will incur a penalty of 10% of the bill. Accounts past due by two billing cycles may have water services suspended until paid in full.
People who live outside of Marion but are still connected to the city’s water system will get service and be billed by their local utility company instead of Marion. However, they are still using Marion’s water at wholesale supply rates.
Marion Water Payment Options
The Marion Water Department offers several options to pay your water bill conveniently:
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By mail – Detach and mail the payment stub from your water bill along with a check or money order payable to City of Marion. Use the return envelope provided and make sure it’s postmarked by the due date.
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In person – Take your payment stub and cash, check or money order to the Water Department service counter at Marion City Hall – 1225 6th Ave Suite 110. They accept payments weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM except on major holidays.
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Night drop box – A drive-up drop box is located in the City Hall parking lot allowing you to drop off payments 24/7. Payments left in the drop box before 8 AM will be processed as paid on the previous business day.
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Online bill pay – Marion water accounts can be paid online through a third-party service called Invoice Cloud. Payments can be made directly from your bank account or by debit/credit card.
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AutoPay – For convenient automated payments, you can enroll in AutoPay through Invoice Cloud to have your bill amount deducted from your account every month.
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By phone – Call Invoice Cloud at 1-833-926-4214 to make a debit/credit card payment over the phone. You’ll need your account number to process a payment.
Paying Your Marion Water Bill Online Step-by-Step
Paying your water bill online through Invoice Cloud is a convenient option for many customers. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough on how to pay your Marion water bill online:
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Go to the Marion Water Department website at www.cityofmarion.org.
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Under the “Billing Options” section, click on the button labeled “Pay Water Bill Online”. This will open the Invoice Cloud payment portal.
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On the Marion Water Department payment page, click “Pay Now” and select your account type – either residential or commercial.
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Enter your 12-digit Marion Water account number without dashes or spaces and click “Continue”.
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Review your account details and current balance due. Click “Continue to Payment”.
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Enter your payment amount and select your payment method – bank account or debit/credit card.
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Enter required information for your chosen payment method and click “Continue”.
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Verify payment details and click “Process Payment” to complete your transaction.
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You’ll receive an email confirmation with your payment receipt. The amount will be reflected on your next billing statement.
Paying online is fast, simple and allows you to avoid mailing delays or trips to City Hall. Just be sure to have your account number handy for quick payment access.
Setting Up AutoPay for Water Bills
The most convenient bill pay option offered by Marion Water Department is enrolling in AutoPay. With AutoPay, the amount due each month or quarter is automatically deducted from your chosen bank account. This prevents any late fees due to forgetting a payment.
Follow these instructions to get AutoPay set up for your water account:
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Access the Invoice Cloud payment portal through the water department website.
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Click on the “AutoPay Program” link at the bottom of the page.
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Enter your 12-digit account number and click “Continue”.
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Choose your preferred account – credit/debit card or bank account – to link for automated payments.
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Provide the necessary account information and click “Add Account”.
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Check the box to agree to AutoPay terms and click “Confirm”.
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Your Marion Water account is now enrolled in AutoPay! The bill amount will now be automatically paid each cycle.
You can still access your account online to view billing statements and payment history. Let Invoice Cloud and your bank handle payment hassles while you focus on more important things!
Payment Assistance Programs
If you are struggling financially, the Marion Water Department does offer programs to help customers maintain water access. These options include:
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Payment arrangements – Customers can contact the water department to set up a payment plan for large past due balances. Extended due dates or installment schedules can be arranged.
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Payment matching – Qualified low-income households can have their water bill payment matched up to $100 through Marion Water’s Helping Hand program.
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Water bill discounts – Senior citizens and disabled individuals may be eligible for a 30% discount on water service rates. Proper documentation must be provided.
Be sure to contact the Marion Water Department right away if you anticipate difficulty paying your bill so these programs can be utilized. Working together, we can maintain affordability of this vital resource.
Avoid Late Fees and Service Disruption
Having your water shut off due to non-payment is extremely inconvenient and stressful. Ensure uninterrupted service to your home or business by observing these bill paying practices:
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Open and read your bill as soon as received so you know the amount due and due date.
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If the bill seems unusually high, contact the water department immediately to check for potential leaks or billing errors.
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Mark the due date prominently on your calendar and budget accordingly to ensure you have funds to pay on time.
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Sign up for reminders like email or text alerts through Invoice Cloud so your bill doesn’t escape notice.
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Utilize one of the many convenient payment options to pay BEFORE the due date.
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If you anticipate issues paying, call right away to make alternate arrangements.
Responsible bill payment helps keep rates lower for everyone while sustaining Marion’s water system operations. Avoid being THAT person who lets their water get shut off! Stay on top of your account and make paying your Marion water bill on time a priority every month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if I’m going on vacation when my bill is due?
A: Use AutoPay or pay early before leaving town. You can also call the water department to request an extension.
Q: What do I do if I’m moving away from Marion?
A: Notify the water department at least 3 days before your move date to schedule final meter reading and billing.
Q: What if I change bank accounts linked to AutoPay?
A: Log in to Invoice Cloud to update your payment method information so automated payments continue uninterrupted.
Q: How can I check previous water bills and payment history?
A: Login to your Invoice Cloud account or call the water department to request statement copies.
Paying your water bill doesn’t have to be a hassle if you utilize the convenient options provided by Marion Water Department. Communicate any issues early and take advantage of paperless billing and automated payments. With these tips, you can take the pain out of paying your water bill!
Setting Up an Online Water Billing Account
Register for utility bill payments and account access online and follow the following instructions:
- Go under “Log in to pay bill, view usage, more” click the Register Here link
- Enter your first and last name and email address for the online account. The email you provide will be your user name, will be tied to the account information, and will be used to relay information on your account password to you
- Click “Register”
- You will get an email with a temporary password
- Return to the Online Bill Payment page and enter your username (email) and password
- Click “Login”
- First time users are prompted to change password
- Using your bill, enter your account number (example 1234567)
- Using your bill, enter your tenant number the two digits behind the account number (example 98)
- Enter an Alias name for your online account
- Click “Submit”
- Next click “Cancel” when finished entering account data
- Account Summary will be displayed
- Click “Next”
- Select “Pay Full Amount” or “Pay Other”
- Payment Type select “Credit” – Click “Next”
- Enter all required Card data fields
- Select “Store this credit card” if you wish to store card data
- Select “Send Confirmation Email” to receive a payment confirmation email
- Click “Submit”
- Displayed is a payment confirmation summary and an email is sent immediately.
- Click “Finish” and “Logout”
Automatic Online Water Bill Pay
Save time and avoid late fees by having your monthly payment automatically drawn from your credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover). Read on to learn more:
- The balance of your utility bill will be charged to your credit card on the due date, typically the 15th of each month.
- You will continue to receive a monthly statement by mail.
- A receipt will be emailed to your login address each month.
- An email will be sent to your login address to notify you if your card will be expiring soon. You are responsible for updating credit card information by submitting a new payment with your updated card information.
- If you ever decide to discontinue this service, you may easily disable the automatic bill pay feature through your Online Profile.
- Your credit card information will not be stored on the site and cannot be accessed or managed by the Citys staff.
- Your card will be stored via PCI secured gateway tokenization. This is the process of replacing sensitive card data with unique identification symbols that retain all the essential information about the data without compromising its security.
In order to sign up for automatic online bill pay, you must first make a payment in full using a credit card online. After making this payment, a box will show asking you if you are interested in this option.
Tax bills are mailed annually in August and are due on the first day of September. If payments are not received by the fifth of January the account will become delinquent. New property owners who do not receive a tax bill are encouraged to contact the Tax Collector to obtain a copy. Please also notify the Tax Collector of any mailing address changes. A lost or undelivered bill does not excuse late payment.
For customer convenience, the City of Marion accepts payments in a number of ways. Payments can be made in any one of the following ways:
- In-person at the Tax Collector counter located at City Hall, except holidays
- Through the City Hall drive-through located at City Hall, except holidays
- The drop box (checks only) located next to the drive-through window at City Hall during non-business hours
- Online
- By mail
The City of Marion also accepts Visa and Master Card debit or credit cards in person at City Hall. A checkout fee is charged for the use of credit or debit cards. The City does not accept debit or credit cards over the phone at this time.