A Guide to Paying Your Okaloosa County Water and Sewer Bill

Paying your water and sewer bill in Okaloosa County doesn’t have to be a hassle. The Okaloosa County Water & Sewer (OCWS) department offers several convenient payment options to quickly pay your utility bill. This guide will walk through how to read your OCWS bill, understand the rates and fees, and use the available payment methods.

Overview of Okaloosa County Water & Sewer

OCWS provides water and sewer utility services to residents and businesses in Okaloosa County, Florida. They maintain the infrastructure that delivers clean drinking water and handles wastewater treatment.

As the utility provider, OCWS bills customers monthly for their water and sewer usage along with base service charges. It’s important to pay your OCWS utility bills on time each month to avoid late fees or disruption of service.

Understanding Your OCWS Monthly Bill

Your OCWS bill provides a summary of your charges and account information. Here are the key sections to understand:

Account Summary – Provides your account number meter number service address, and billing period. Verify this is correct.

Meter Readings – Shows meter readings at start and end of billing period for calculating usage.

Consumption History – Graph and table of your monthly water usage history.

Current Charges – Lists itemized charges for the month like water/sewer rates, base fees, etc.

Message Board – Important notices like rate changes or peak usage alerts

Payment Stub – Detach and send this portion with mailed payments.

Account Balance – Shows previous balance, new charges, payments, and total now due.

Due Date – Payment is due by this date to avoid late fees.

Review your bill each month to understand the charges and catch any unusual spikes in usage. Contact OCWS if you have any questions.

OCWS Water and Sewer Rates

The rates you are charged each month by OCWS include:

Water Usage Rate – Charged per 1,000 gallons of water used based on monthly meter readings. The rate increases in tiers for higher usage levels.

Sewer Usage Rate – Charged based on your water usage since most water ends up as wastewater. The sewer rate is slightly lower than water rate.

Base Charges – Fixed monthly charges for service based on your meter size. This covers infrastructure costs.

Peak Usage Charge – An extra charge if water use exceeds 125% of rolling monthly average during peak summer months.

Taxes and Fees – Includes utility taxes and other fees assessed by local government.

Rates are set by the OCWS board and may change annually. See the published OCWS rate schedules for current pricing. Conserving water reduces your usage charges.

When is My OCWS Bill Due?

OCWS bills for water/sewer service monthly. Your bill is typically due around the 27th of each month.

The exact due date is printed on each monthly bill. Payments must be received by this due date to avoid late fees.

If the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, payments are still due on that date and must be received early.

How to Pay Your OCWS Bill

OCWS offers several payment options to pay your monthly water and sewer bill:

Online – Pay by eCheck or credit/debit card through the OCWS customer online portal anytime.

By mail – Mail check or money order with payment stub to OCWS at 1804 Lewis Turner Blvd, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547.

By phone – Call the IVR payment line anytime at (850) 651-7171 to pay by credit/debit card or eCheck.

In person – Pay by cash, check, or card at any OCWS office during business hours.

AutoPay – Enroll to have payments automatically deducted from your bank account each month.

Drop box – Place check or money order in secure drop boxes located around the county.

Paying online is the easiest and most convenient way to pay each month. But OCWS offers multiple options to meet customers’ needs. Just be sure payment is received by the due date to avoid late fees.

Payment Plan Options

If you are struggling to pay your OCWS bill in full, you may qualify for a payment plan. This allows you to pay the past due balance in installments over time.

To get a payment plan, you must pay a down payment of 50% of the balance owed and pay installments by the scheduled due dates. A fee also applies.

Payment plans help avoid service disruption but do not waive late fees already incurred. Apply through your online OCWS account or by visiting the OCWS office.

Late Fees and Disconnection Policy

OCWS charges late fees on unpaid utility bills as follows:

• 10% late fee if not paid within 10 days after due date

• Additional $5 late fee assessed every 30 days until paid

If a bill remains unpaid for 60 days after original due date, water service may be disconnected. A $30 disconnection fee and $30 reconnection fee apply.

Avoid these fees and potential service interruption by paying your OCWS water/sewer bill in full each month by the due date. Communicate with OCWS immediately if you expect difficulty paying on time.

Moving? How to Close or Transfer Service

If you are moving out of your home or apartment in Okaloosa County, you must close your OCWS account to stop service and billing.

• Submit a service disconnect request through your online account or by visiting the OCWS office.

• Provide date you are moving and new mailing address for final bill.

• Pay any outstanding balance on your account.

• Service will be disconnected on your move out date and final meter read completed.

• Your final bill will have charges through your disconnect date.

To transfer service to a new address in the county, open a new OCWS account in your name at the new property. Just be sure to close the old account.

Water Bill Assistance Programs

If you are struggling to pay your water and sewer bill, OCWS offers programs that may be able to help including:

• Payment plans – Pay outstanding balance over time in installments.

• LIHEAP – Federal energy assistance program provides utility bill grants.

• Project Share – Helps pay bills through United Way donations and assistance fund.

You must meet eligibility criteria for income level and hardship to qualify for these utility assistance programs. Apply through United Way of Okaloosa-Walton Counties.

Paying your monthly OCWS bill on time is important to avoid late fees and maintain uninterrupted water and sewer service. Utilize the online payment system for an easy way to pay your bill. Monitor your usage and seek assistance if needed. Reach out to OCWS with any questions about your account, rates or payment options.