Dallas water billing rollout sparks complaints over fees, account issues

What should be a routine monthly payment has become a source of frustration for some Dallas water customers following the rollout of a new billing system.

Residents say the DallasGo system has led to long wait times, account confusion and unexpected fees. City leaders are now demanding answers.

For Dallas resident Bob Curry, paying his water bill used to take just a few minutes. After decades without issues, he says that is no longer the case.

Curry said of his bill confusion, "I don't know what to be paying for here. They say I have a past balance. I can't see my bill…"

Curry said the problems began after the city launched its new DallasGo billing system last month. When his first bill arrived, he said he found unfamiliar charges, a new account number and a customer service experience that left him frustrated.

"Fifty-two minutes and I didn't get my problem resolved," he said. "Then they wanted to transfer me and disconnected. It would have been humorous if it wasn't so stressful."

He is not alone.

One Dallas resident wrote on social media that they were hit with new payment surcharges. Another said they were unable to reach customer service. Another customer opted to bypass the system entirely, mailing a paper check instead.

DallasGo launched in spring 2024, with the platform officially going live on March 25, 2024. It replaced the city's previous utility bill system, ePay, to provide an updated online payment platform for Dallas Water Utilities and other city bills. Therefore, the system is not new, but the new billing system within it was launched in mid-May.

The complaints have become widespread enough that several Dallas City Council members say they are hearing from hundreds of frustrated constituents.

"You haven't heard the complaints because they can't get to you to complain," Dallas City Council member Lori Blair said.

City staff responded that tutorials are available to help residents register for the new system.

Council members also questioned why residents are being charged additional fees for some online and phone payments and why customer accounts were reassigned new numbers.

Council member Cara Mendelsohn asked, "Why couldn't you just move them over? I don't understand that…"

City officials said the change was made for security reasons and to prevent potential mismatches, calling it a risk they determined was not worth taking.

"It's a failure of communication, it's a failure of this rollout," Mendelsohn said. "We're talking about a water bill here."

City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert sent a memo in March notifying residents of the changes, including new convenience fees and the new charges. She explained that auto-paying would not result in an added fee.

CBS News Texas reached out to the Dallas Water Utilities Department, requesting an interview to ask these questions directly, but has not yet received a response.

For now, Curry says he has been able to set up his account, but after weeks of confusion, he believes the process should be simpler.

Curry said, "We are not the testing ground… we should be making it easier to work with the government, not harder."