How do I open an account?
Services are scheduled during normal business hours which are Monday - Friday between 8am-5pm. We require one business days' notice to start services.
Some services may not be available in all areas. Not all accounts will be eligible for online requests for service and we may request you come into the Utility Business Office to complete your request.
- Water service is connected during a scheduled 2-hour window. We schedule connections Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm based on the billing cycle where services are located.
- We are unable to call before arriving for connection and someone must be present for our technician to turn the water on.
- For same day service, the completed Request for Service (including any additional documents, if applicable) must be submitted by 12pm.
- We do not schedule the connection of services outside normal business hours.
- Submit your Request for Service and a Customer Service Representative will contact you to collect your deposit and verify your scheduled service start time. If you have not been contacted within two hours (during normal business hours) please contact our office at 254-298-5616. Press 0 and someone can assist you.
SUBMIT SERVICE REQUEST
How do I transfer my service from one address to another?
Requests are processed during normal business hours which are Monday - Friday between 8am-5pm. We require one business days' notice to transfer services.
Some services may not be available in all areas. Not all accounts will be eligible for online requests and we may require you come into the Utility Business Office to complete your request.
- Water service is connected during a scheduled 2-hour window. We schedule connections Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm based on the billing cycle where services are located.
- We are unable to call before arriving for connection and someone must be present for our technician to turn water on.
- For same day service, the completed Request for Transfer (including any additional documents, if applicable) must be submitted by 12pm.
- We do not schedule the connection of services outside normal business hours.
Use this link to move your current water service account to a different address.
REQUEST A TRANSFER OF SERVICES
How do I terminate an account?
My service was turned off for Non-Payment. Why am I still receiving a bill?
You must contact the Utility Business Office to terminate your utility account. Minimum monthly charges will continue to incur until the account has been taken out of your name. Just because service was turned off for non-payment doesn’t mean the account was terminated. If you need to request your billing account be closed, please submit a request to cancel service.
How do I request an emergency turn-off?
During normal business hours of Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, contact the Utility Business Office at 254-298-5616 and press “0” to speak with a Customer Service Representative.
During non-business hours, call 254-217-4153 and leave a voice message. This is our emergency/after-hours mailbox that is checked frequently. A crew will be dispatched as soon as they are available. If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
I have questions about my Garbage service, who do I call?
Garbage and recycling information can be found on the Solid Waste page.
Solid Waste Services
phone 254-298-5725
email solidwasteservices@templetx.gov
Where are you located?
The Utility Business Office is located at 401 N 3rd St, Temple, TX 76501
Can I view my bill online?
View and pay your monthly utility bill using the City’s online utility e-pay portal.
- Existing customers can add multiple utility accounts to their user profiles.
- New Users will need to create a New User account and then add their utility account number to their user profile.
- The “one-time” payment option is available for customers who do not want to register and/or sign into their accounts. The utility account number will be required for one-time payments.
Soon, the City will offer an enhanced online payment experience with new payment options. For more details, see the menu below.
UTILITY E-PAY
Do you offer paperless billing?
Yes, we do! You can submit a request to enroll in paperless billing and choose to receive an email-only bill or get an email and continue to receive paper statements.
ENROLL IN PAPERLESS BILLING
Where can I pay my bill?
Visit our Payment Options page.
Do you accept post-dated or temporary checks?
We do not accept post-dated or temporary checks.
Can I have an extension on my bill?
City of Temple utility billing accounts may qualify for a payment extension if certain account criteria are met. Not all accounts will qualify for an extension.
Customers should contact the Utility Business Office before 5:00 pm on their cutoff date to request an extension. If a customer requests an extension after their cutoff notice has been generated, the $30 non-payment fee will still be assessed to the account.
Please submit your request using the link below and someone from the Utility Business Office will review your account. You will receive an emailed response (at the email address provided when the form is submitted) informing you of your new cutoff date, if applicable. If the account does not qualify for an extension, the delinquent balance will be due by 5:00 pm on the original cutoff date.
Please allow at least one business day for a response.
Submitting this request does not guarantee a payment extension. A payment extension does not forgive payment but will allow for an extended payment period. Full payment for services will still be required.
REQUEST A PAYMENT EXTENSIONDo you accept electronic payments?
Yes, we do accept electronic payments from most financial institutions. You must set us up as a payee through your bank and be sure to enter the dash (-) in the account number, just as it appears on your bill. Allow 3-4 business days for those payments to be received by our office.
For other payment options, please visit our payment options page.
How is my due date determined, and can I change my due date?
Due dates (or penalty dates) are based on your bill date. Once your meter is read, a bill is generated within 1-3 business days. The penalty date is 16 days from the bill date. Our goal is to read the meter at approximately the same time each month. The read date is based off of the area of town in which you live. Bill and penalty dates may vary a few days, according to the meter read date and weekends/holidays. These dates cannot be changed.
I had a leak and got it repaired. Can I receive a discount on my bill?
A City of Temple Utility Customer may qualify for a water and/or wastewater adjustment if the customer had a leak somewhere on their premises that resulted in a significant increase in their City of Temple utility bill. The account holder must complete a Leak Repair Affidavit in order for an adjustment to be considered. Billing adjustment approval may take up to 2 business days for review.
LEAK REPAIR AFFIDAVIT
How can I determine if I have a leak?
If you have noticed a steady increase or sudden rise in your water usage, you may have a leak. Leaking toilets and dripping faucets can be a cause of high water bills. One way to determine if you have a leak is by checking your meter. You should turn off all the water in your house and then check your meter. If anything is moving on the meter, such as the numbers, dials or sweep hand, you may have a leak. For toilets, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank of the toilet and wait 15 minutes without flushing. When the time has passed check the bowl. If the color has transferred into the bowl, you have a leaky toilet and it should be repaired. Our department can make a service call to check for leaks by looking at the meter, but there is a charge for that service.
What are some ways to conserve water?
Simple tasks such as turning off the water while brushing your teeth, washing full loads of laundry, and being mindful of your shower time can all add up to significant water savings. We encourage all citizens to conserve water year-round.
For additional ideas on how to conserve water at your house, check out
WaterUseItWisely.com - 100 Ways to Conserve
H2Ouse.org
Visit the City's Water Conservation page for information.
How do I read my water meter?
The last digit on the right is always a “zero” and is a fixed digit stamped on the face of the meter. It is not read and does not change.
The 2nd from the right dial measure 'tens' and is also not read since we bill in hundred gallons. It does turn, and when it reaches '9', it becomes a zero again and the third digit from the right advances to the next number.
The 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th from right dial measures “hundreds”, “thousands”, “ten thousands”, and “hundred thousands” respectively and advances each time the previous dial on the right reaches “9” and turns to “0”
(Some larger commercial meters may have more fixed zeros)
The gallons used are calculated by subtracting the previous month's reading from the current reading.
For example:
00245.40 Reading is 245
30 days later :
00324.10 Reading is 324
Current reading 324, previous reading 245, Usage 79 (7,900) gallons
If I fill up my swimming pool, is there a discount if I notify the City?
There is no discount available for filling a swimming pool. If it is filled using an irrigation meter, there is no wastewater (sewer) charge associated with it. If it is filled using the domestic (house) meter and your wastewater rate is meter related (not based on a winter quarter average), the wastewater charge would reflect that consumption as well. Please notify us if you have two separate meters and you are filling a pool using your domestic meter. While there is no discount for the water, in the later case, we would consider a wastewater credit.
Why is my water bill so high?
Most of the time, a drastic increase in your billing amount is a result of higher water consumption. We encourage you to check for leaks.
You may request a re-read of your meter, but if the read is correct, there is a charge for that service. Customers may also request an accuracy test be performed on a meter, but if it measures within AWWA standards, there is a fee for the test and that meter will be placed back in the ground. (Please note, most meters that fail slow down and it is very rare that a meter will register more consumption than what is going through the meter.)
Are there any programs available for senior citizens?
For persons 60 years of age or older, the account can be marked penalty exempt. This would keep the account from penalizing on the penalty (due) date and give that account until the original cutoff date without any additional charges. Reminder notices will still be mailed if the payment isn’t received by the original due date. Accounts not paid in full by 5:00 on the cutoff date will still be processed for cutoff and the non-payment fee will be assessed.
How is my wastewater (sewer rate) determined?
For residential customers that don’t have a separate meter for irrigation purposes, wastewater (sewer) rates are based on the average water consumption billed in January, February, and March each year. For new customers that haven’t yet established a Winter Quarter Average, the charge will be based on 6,000 gallons until an average is determined. Updated averages will be reflected on the May billing statement each year. Commercial sewer rates are based on water consumption.
Visit our Rates page for more details.
Does the City of Temple offer average or budget billing?
No, the City of Temple does not offer average or budget billing.
Is my account information confidential?
On June 18, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 872 and declared it effective immediately. What does this mean for City of Temple utility customers? Prior to HB 872, if a customer wanted their account information to remain private, the customer would have to fill out a Confidentiality Request form.
With the passage of HB 872, all customer information of municipally-owned utilities is completely private* and may not be shared without customer permission. To learn more about HB 872, visit https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HB872
If you would like your customer information to be accessible (not private) to outside entities, please submit a Request for Disclosure.
* Confidentiality under Chapter 182 does not prohibit a government-operated utility from disclosing personal information in a customer’s account record to: (1) an official or employee of the state, a political subdivision of the state, or the United States acting in an official capacity; (2) an employee of a utility acting in connection with the employee’s duties; (3) a consumer reporting agency; (4) a contractor or subcontractor approved by and providing services to the utility, the state, a political subdivision of the state, or the United States; (5) a person for whom the customer has contractually waived confidentiality for personal information; or (6) another entity that provides water, wastewater, sewer, gas, garbage, electricity, or drainage service for compensation.
