Setting up a Utility Account

If you are just moving into a home there are a few things you need to do when setting up a utilities account. First, phone or visit the Town Administration Office (780-778-2273). The Utilities Department will need your name, phone numbers, move in date and whether or not you own or rent. A Town employee will then read your water meter on the date you move in, and billing will begin from that point.

Under the provisions of Bylaw 411 and amendments thereto, a deposit is required for every water and sewer account.  You have 10 days after you move in to pay your utility deposit. While the Town holds your deposit, you will receive the current bank rate of interest, which is then applied to your December water bill. When you close the account your deposit, plus interest, will be credited to your account.

Billing Procedures

All households are individually billed and, because of the timing of actual readings, every bill is different. Every household is metered and consumption is an actual reading every other month with the rest being estimations. Actual readings will adjust for estimations that are too high or too low.

Every month that your water consumption was estimated, “System Estimate” will show on your bill. The month your meter is actually read, the word “Actual” will show on your bill. The reason for this is because the Town of Whitecourt has grown too large to read every meter every month. Meters in the hilltop area are read one month, and meters in the valley area are read the next month. The meters that aren’t read manually are automatically given an estimated consumption based on the account's history of consumption. If the estimation for one month was more than actually consumed, your actual reading bill will reflect a credit on your next actual bill.

Sewer Charges are calculated based on water consumption charges. The more water you consume, the higher your sewer charge. Try your best to conserve water to save yourself some money.

Each month you will receive a bill and payments are required on your utility account once every month. The Town Administration Office accepts cash, cheque, Interac, Visa and Mastercard. Bank, internet, telebank and pre-authorized payments are also accepted.

Utility Fee Schedule

If the total balance is not paid, a 3.5% penalty is applied 30 days after the due date. Late payments will result in an arrears letter to remind you that your account is overdue. If the account is not paid within 10 days of this letter being mailed, your water service may be disconnected. If the water is disconnected there is an automatic $40.00 reconnection fee.

Returned payments are charged an additional $25.00. This includes returned cheques and returned pre-authorized payments.

Pre-Authorized Payment Plan for Utility Bills

You are encouraged to sign up for the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan for Utility Bills. To sign up for the plan, visit the Town Administration Office with a void cheque and fill out an application form. Each month you will receive a bill, but it will indicate that the payment is going to be made directly from your bank account on the 7th of each month, or the first banking day after the 7th.

Pre-Authorized Application Form

Moving Out?

Please inform the Utility Department in advance when you are moving out of your residence so that staff can be scheduled to take a final water meter reading on your last day in your home. A forwarding address will be needed so that we can send your final bill, or cheque if your deposit is larger than your final charges.