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1. What is Included on my bill?

Your quarterly bill includes charges for your previous three months of water service and consumption. Bills are mailed at the end of the month following the billing period in January, April, July, and October.

The City has two components to your water charge: a minimum quarterly fee and an excess consumption fee. The minimum quarterly fee includes a minimum consumption amount. Customers who use over that amount will also be charged the excess consumption fee.

Fees are based on customer type (Single Family Residential, Multi-Family Residential and Non-Residential) and meter size. See Schedule A (PDF) for details on charges by customer type and meter size and minimum consumption amounts.

2. What are the billing periods?

All customers are billed quarterly based on their rate category and water consumption. The City will read the water meters in the beginning of the month following the billing period.

Quarterly billing periods include:

• January to March
• April to June
• July to September
• October to December

3. What are the water rates?

2018 Water Rates - Schedule A (PDF).

4. How are water rates set?

Rates are reviewed annually as part of the budgeting process to ensure adequate funding for the maintenance, operation and infrastructure renewal costs of the water utility.

5. How do I setup online banking for my Water Bill?

To setup the City of White Rock as a bill payee:

1. Log in to your banking website

2. Navigate to the bill payment menu and select “add a new payee”

3. Search for payee “White Rock” and select the “utilities” option from the results.

4. The account number is your seven digit water account number, located on the top right hand corner of your Water Bill.

6. How do I ensure my payment is received on time?

Allow for processing time:

• Online or telephone banking: please account for a minimum of three business days for your payment to reach the City. A penalty will apply if payment is not received by the due date.

• In person at financial institution: if you make a payment on the due date, ask the teller if your payment will be processed on the same day. Payments made on or before that date may not be posted to the City’s account in time. Late payments will be charged a 5% penalty.

• Payments by mail: please allow time for the mail to reach our office by the due date. Post marks are not accepted as date of payment. The City is not responsible for lost or stolen mail.

7. What if I miss a due date?

A 5% penalty is applied to the current bill’s charges if unpaid by the due date. Avoid penalties by joining the City’s utility auto debit plan.

8. What happens if I don’t pay my utility bills?

Overdue amounts as of December 31st are, as per section 258 of the Community Charter, deemed taxes in arrears and transferred to your property tax account. Taxes in arrears are charged interest as prescribed by the section 245 of the Community Charter.

9. What happens if I overpay my utility account?

Credits on utility accounts will be applied to your next bill. You may request a refund.  Administration fees apply to refund requests. Allow for two weeks processing time for refunds.

10. How do I make a payment for utilities transferred to my tax property account?

Once utility charges are transferred to a tax account, payments must be made to the nine digit folio number found on the Statement of Outstanding Taxes or Property Tax Notice, not to the seven digit utility account.

You may pay through any of the usual tax account payment options.

If you are paying online, ensure that you select the “White Rock Taxes” payee, not  “White Rock Utilities” payee.

To setup the City of White Rock as a bill payee:

1. Log in to your banking website

2. Navigate to the bill payment menu and select “add a new payee”

3. Search for payee “White Rock” and select the “taxes” option from the results.

4. Locate your nine digit account number from your Statement of Outstanding Taxes or Property Tax Notice.

11. I’m buying a property. What should I do about my water bill?

New owners will be responsible for the previous owners’ unpaid bills.  It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that bills are paid. You may wish to check with your lawyer or notary. Lawyers or notaries may estimate the seller’s charges up to the property transfer dates and account for them on the statement of adjustments, or request a final bill for the utility charges.  

12. I’m selling a property in White Rock. What should I do about my water bill?

If you are moving within White Rock, you will need to take steps to transition your billing and payment to your new property. 

• Do not call to cancel your utility services. Water services are not turned off when a customer moves.

• Do not call to change ownership information as it will be forwarded to the City by BC Land Titles.

• If you pay online, change your utility account number on your financial institution's website when you receive the first bill for your new property. 

• Change or cancel your utility auto debit plan.

• Your lawyer or notary may request a final bill for utility charges using the Special Read Request Fillable Form (PDF).

• Return any utility bill that is no longer your responsibility to the City.

• If you pay your property taxes online, change your account information. 

Please ensure that your lawyer of notary accounts for your portion of the utility bill on the statement of adjustments, or requests a final bill for your account.

13. How do I assign my utility bills to a tenant?

The City does not mail to tenants directly, only Strata or Property Management companies may be assigned to received utility bills. To set this up, an owner must fill out the Strata/Property Management Company Mailing Request Form and submit it to the Finance department for processing. Once completed, the City will mail the utility bills directly to the Strata or Property Management company. 

 

14. What do I do about my utility services when my tenant moves out?

The City of White Rock sends utility bills to the owner of the property. In the case of strata properties, the bill is sent to the strata owners or strata/property management company.

If your property is individually metered, you may request a final bill for your utility charges when a tenant moves out. Owners of rental properties are ultimately responsible for the Utility Bill.