Big Changes Coming For Fort Worth Water Customers Who Pay Their Bills Late

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Customers with service through the Fort Worth Water Department listen up -- one fee for customers who pay their bill late is being eliminated entirely, while another is increasing.

Effective April 1, customers will no longer have a yellow tag left on their door warning them that they have 48-hours to get their bill current or have service disconnected. The elimination of the in-person notification also means customers will no longer be charged the $20 fee for leaving the yellow tag.

The yellow tag is being replaced with an automated call placed to the residential listed on the account. Calls will be made 37 days after the bill date. It is the customers responsibility to make sure their phone numbers and email addresses are up to date with the water utility. Account updates can be made by logging onto the billing system website or by calling customer service at 817-392-4477.

Late fees are increasing from 5% to 10%, if the bill is not paid by 24 days after the bill date. A mailed notice that water service is about to be shut off still will go out 42 days after the bill date. The postal notice will be the final notice a customer receives about an unpaid bill.

As it stands, the delinquency process timeline still has water service shutoff for nonpayment at 52 days after the initial bill is issued. If water service is shut off workers will leave a red tag notice on the door.