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 | What information do I need to set up electronic utility payments? |
 | Before creating a new enrollment, gather the following information: a copy of your most recent bill that includes your account number and CID number of the bill you want to pay electronically, the bank account number (of the checking or savings account you will use to pay the bill by eCheck), the bank routing number (of the institution at which you have the checking or savings account with, also for payments made by eCheck) or have your Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Discover card nearby. You may also sign up to pay by text. |
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| The balance due on my bill doesn't seem to be right. What should I do? |
| Contact the Public Utilities Department at (440) 490-2049 for all questions about your account balance. |
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| What if my payment account does not have sufficient funds to cover a payment? |
| We make withdrawals authorized by you from the checking or savings account that you designate as the payment account. As with any payment account, you must provide sufficient funds to cover all payments. Since we have no knowledge of your account balance at any time, we cannot notify you if your payment account has insufficient funds. There may be additional charges for payments attempted against accounts with insufficient funds. |
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| Is it safe to pay bills online using your service? Can my personal information be seen by others? |
| We are committed to protecting your personal information. In addition, whenever you are viewing or paying bills, you are using a secure connection that fully protects your information. Data you provide cannot be viewed by anyone else on the Web. We do not share your information with anyone else. Security is maintained by industry-standard SSL (secure socket layer) encryption and decryption technology. The SSL protocol is used to ensure that your information is sent directly to us, and that only we can decode it. |
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| How often am I billed, when is the bill sent and when it is due? |
| Customers will receive a bill on a monthly basis. It will be processed around the 1st or 2nd of each month and should arrive by 8th or 9th of each month. The bill is due approximate 16-18 days after the billing date. |
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| How much is the fee that is assessed for late payments after the due date? |
| The late fee is equal to 10% of the current water, stormwater and sewer charge on your bill. There is no late fee assessed on the arrears or for refuse charges. |
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| How is my water bill calculated? |
| Your water bill is calculated based on actual or estimated meter readings that are taken on a monthly basis. The measurement of water from your meter is in cubic feet and rates for billing purposes are based on 100 cubic feet. Water rates are available online or at the Public Utilities Department. |
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| How is my sewer billing amount calculated? |
| Your sewer bill is calculated based on the metered water usage for your home. If the metered water usage is 600 cubic feet, then the sewer bill is calculated for 600 cubic feet. The most current sewer rates for both residential and commercial customers are available online or at the Public Utilities Department. |
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| Where and how can I pay my North Ridgeville utility bill? |
| You may pay your utility bill at our customer service window inside City Hall, at our drive-up window (cash or check only) on the north side of the building or in our night drop, after hours, located next to the drive-up window. You may also mail in the payment using the return envelope included in your monthly bill. Also, we have an automated "Pay by Phone" system available 24 hours a day for card and checking account payments. The phone number is 1-855-786-5306. You'll need your North Ridgeville account number and amount in order to start the process. |
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| Why does my water smell or taste funny during the warmer months? |
| Summer brings higher algae counts in greater abundance on Lake Erie. One type in particular, Ceratium hirundinella, has a fishy or grassy taste and odor, which is very common in our area. It's a natural occurrence and it's very difficult to eliminate it totally. In this instance, the water's taste and odor poses no health risks but is less appealing to the senses. Increased algae is a yearly phenomenon that occurs during the hottest months of the year. Natural phosphate and potassium fertilizers filter from the land and are joined by nitrogen in the air and higher lake temperatures. During summer, fish eat in deeper, cooler water, allowing the bacteria to grow without much reduction. Some years are worse than others and are always affected by natural conditions that exist from year to year. Helpful Hint: You should turn off outside spigots and disconnect garden hoses when not in use. When a hose is connected and the spigot is on with water left in the hose, the sun heats up the water in the hose, promoting algae growth. The heating of the water in the hose will also cause it to expand and begin forcing water back inside the house through the inside plumbing. The water from the hose may then be siphoned back into the house when a faucet is turned on inside, thus causing the water that you just got from the faucet to have an unpleasant odor and taste. |
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| What can be done if I water my lawn in the summer but I don't want to pay for the sanitary sewer? |
| You may purchase an additional meter for outside water usage, allowing the customer to pay for water that is used outside without paying for the sanitary sewer usage. A permit must be obtained from the Building Department for inspection of the meter set-up. Sewer Deduct Meter installation information and cost is available at the Public Utilities Department. |
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| Do you offer any discounts on services to Senior Citizens? |
| Discounts are offered to residents that are 62 years of age or older. The water discount is realized when the customer uses under the minimum billing amount of 400 cubic feet, they are only charged for the water that is actually used and there are no penalties levied for late payments. The refuse discount is $1.00 off of the current regular residential rate. There is also an additional discount of $1.00 off of the refuse rate for residents that are qualified for the Homestead Exemption through the Lorain County Auditor’s Office. Forms for the water and refuse discounts may be obtained from the Public Utilities Department or available on the department's webpage. A copy of the approved Homestead Exemption application must accompany the refuse discount for residents applying for the additional refuse discount. |
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| What do I need to do to transfer water, sewer and refuse billing into my name? |
| TRANSFER OF WATER RIGHTS: Codified city ordinance 1046.18, as amended by 4909-2012 states; All applications for water service and requests for initiation of new accounts shall be submitted in person at the Public Utilities Department, or in special circumstances including applications by out-of-state property owners by electronic methods and procedures approved by the Public Utilities Department Supervisor. All property owners or property management agents acting on their behalf must apply for their own service and supply the Public Utilities Department with the bill mailing address and provide a photo identification at that time. A copy of the photo identification shall be retained on file. |
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| Do you accept credit cards for payments? |
| Yes. You can pay online by visiting our website and clicking the "Pay Utility Bill" icon or our automated "Pay by Phone" service at 1-855-786-5306. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Pay by Text and Discover cards. |
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| Do I need to enroll in order to pay by credit card or e-check online? |
| No. Just click on the "Pay Utility Bill" icon on the city's website and you can pay using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Pay by Text and Discover or checking account by selecting the “Checkout with Quick Pay” option as a one-time payment. If you do decide to enroll, you can receive, view and pay your bills and also set up automatic payment preferences to handle all of your North Ridgeville utility bill needs every month. |
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| Can I pay my bill with a credit card at the office or over the phone? |
| You can pay at the Public Utilities Department window in City Hall with your credit card. Only cash and check payments will be accepted at the drive-thru window. You may also use our automated "Pay by Phone" service at 1-855-786-5306. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Discover cards. |
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| Yesterday was a holiday; will they still be collecting garbage and recyclables today? |
| Our current refuse and recycling hauler, Allied Waste Systems, still collects on certain holidays so they do not alter their schedule for every holiday. The holidays that they do not work are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Tuesday collection will only be affected if the holiday falls on a Monday or Tuesday. In that case, pick-up will be delayed one day Wednesday. |
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| I've heard that I can get a credit for sewer when I fill up my swimming pool, what do I need to do? |
| City ordinance # 2118-86 provides for sewer credits for filling your swimming pool so long as the pool is at least four feet in height and the water used is at least 80% of the volume needed to fill the pool. You must call the Public Utilities Department prior to filling your pool and inform us of the size and shape of the pool, date you are filling it along with your name, address and telephone number. The volume of water needed to fill the pool in order to receive credit is then calculated and credit is given based on actual water meter readings obtained from your meter in previous months. More information is available here. |
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| How can I dispose of a refrigerator or a freezer? |
| You need to remove the door of the item to prevent a safety hazard to children. |
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| My bill seems really high and I don't think we used that much water, what could be the problem? |
| There are several factors that may contribute to a high water bill. The biggest culprit is a leaking toilet. They are hard to detect since they may be slow leaks that seep right into the toilet bowl or run out the overflow in the back of the toilet tank without making much noise, depending on how severe the leak is, or leaving a mess such as wet floors or carpets. Other factors include but are not limited to, having company over the holidays; water left running while away, other leaks such as dripping faucets or utility tubs, excess laundry or outside watering or washing cars in the summer. Remember that when your water usage increases, your sewer usage also increases. If you feel this could be the problem, please call the office and we will be happy to set up an appointment. |
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| I never received a utility bill this month, what should I do? |
| Unfortunately, for some reason, a bill may get lost in the mail or misplaced. If you notice that you have not received a bill by the 8th or 9th of the month, please call the office and we can tell you how much you owe and when it is due so you can avoid the late fees. You may then mail your payment to us or drop it off at our office. Please include your account number on your check and if you pay in person and need a receipt for cash, we will be happy to give you one. |
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| When is garbage, recyclables and yard waste collected in North Ridgeville? |
| Each residence is supplied with a blue trash cart and a green recycling cart. Garbage, recycling, bulk (limit four items) and yard waste is picked up every Tuesday year round. |
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| Is there a fee to turn the water on at a property? |
| Generally, a $10.00 fee will be charged to turn the water back on at a property unless the water service has been disconnected due to delinquency. In the event that the water service has been shut off for non-payment of the bill, the turn on fee is $45.00. If the Service Department is required to re-establish water service after normal business hours, a charge shall be added to the bill in the amount equal to the actual cost incurred by the City for such after-hour service, in lieu of the forty-five dollar charge. |
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| What if my water was shut off for non-payment but I need it turned back on after regular business hours or on the weekend? |
| If the Water Department is required to re-establish water service after normal business hours, a charge will be added to the applicable turn on fee in an amount equal to the actual cost incurred by the city for the after-hours service call. The person making the request for turn will need to appear in person at the North Ridgeville Police Department where you will need to pay the past due amount in full and sign a waiver agreeing to pay the call out fee, which will be included on your next monthly utility bill along with the actual turn on fee. |
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