How to Pay Your Sewer Bill in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Paying your sewer bill is an essential responsibility for homeowners and tenants in Chattanooga. While it may not be the most exciting task keeping up with your payments ensures that you continue to receive this vital service. In this article we’ll walk through everything you need to know about paying your sewer bill in Chattanooga, from understanding your bill to setting up automatic payments.

Overview of Sewer Bills in Chattanooga

In Chattanooga, the city’s Department of Public Works provides wastewater services to residents and businesses. They handle the operation and maintenance of the sewer system, wastewater treatment, and billing.

Sewer bills are issued monthly. The charges are based on your water consumption, as measured by Tennessee American Water Company. So even if you have a private well for drinking water, you’ll still get a city sewer bill based on water usage.

Sewer rates have two components

• Volume charge – Based on your monthly water usage. This covers the costs of transporting and treating wastewater. The rate is currently $3.33 per hundred cubic feet (CCF) of water.

• Availability fee – A flat monthly fee to cover fixed costs like infrastructure and maintenance. For a standard residential connection, this fee is $14.00.

Your monthly sewer bill is the sum of the volume charge and availability fee So in months where you use more water, your sewer bill will be higher.

Sewer bills are mailed out around the 10th of each month and are due by the 27th. If your bill is past due, late fees and penalties will be added.

Ways to Pay Your Sewer Bill

Chattanooga offers several convenient payment options for sewer bills:

Pay Online

The easiest way to pay is through the city’s online payment portal at www.sewerpayments.com/chattanooga. You’ll need your account number from your sewer bill. One-time payments can be made without an account, while setting up an account allows you to store payment information for future bills.

Pay by Phone

Call (844) 898-3672 to pay by phone using a credit card or electronic check. You’ll need your account number.

Pay by Mail

Detach the payment stub from your paper bill and mail it along with a check or money order to:

City of Chattanooga
PO Box 591
Chattanooga, TN 37401-0591

Be sure to allow enough time for your payment to arrive by the due date.

Pay in Person

Take your payment to the Sewer Payment Center located at:

1250 Market Street
Suite 1008
Chattanooga, TN 37402

The payment center is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. You can also pay at any First Horizon bank branch as long as your account is current.

Enroll in Auto-Pay

For hassle-free payments, enroll in auto-pay through the online portal. Your bill will be paid automatically each month on the due date using your preferred payment method.

Financial Assistance Options

If you’re having trouble paying your sewer bill, Chattanooga offers assistance programs:

• Payment arrangements – Call (833) 237-8064 to set up a payment plan if you can’t pay the full amount due. This avoids late fees or service disruption.

• LIHEA Utility Assistance – Low-income residents can get help with sewer bills through this federally funded program. Apply through your local community action agency.

• Project Assist – United Way of Greater Chattanooga runs this program providing one-time utility assistance for households facing financial hardship. Call 211 to apply.

Avoid Late Fees and Service Disruption

To avoid penalties and keep your sewer service flowing, be sure to pay your bill in full by the monthly due date. If your account becomes delinquent, here’s what to expect:

• A late fee of 10% is applied to overdue balances.

• If your balance remains unpaid for 60 days, a cutoff notice will be sent warning that your service is subject to disconnection.

• Accounts past due for 90 days will have sewer service discontinued.

• To restore service after a disconnection, you must pay the full past due amount plus a $50 reconnection fee.

Protect your credit, avoid extra fees, and prevent service interruptions by paying on time every month. Communication is key – if you anticipate having trouble making a payment, contact the city right away to set up alternative arrangements. Consistently paying your sewer bill keeps wastewater safely flowing away from your property and protects public health in Chattanooga.