Utility ratepayers in Billings will receive one bill for the 60-day period covering July and August because of changes in the city’s billing system.
The Billings Public Works Department experienced significant delays in issuing utility bills after implementing a new software system in June of this year, the city said in a Thursday news release.
The city says 43,000 customers have now received their June bills, with the remaining 1,000 set to get theirs next week.
To expedite the billing process, the department is now combining the July and August bills, creating a 60-day billing period, instead of the normal 30-day cycle.
The tiers for the 60-day billing cycle will be doubled to prevent customers from being pushed into higher tiers prematurely.
No late fees will also be applied during this time and no water shut-offs implemented.
Public Works promises to remain fair and consistent in their billing and says they will provide customers with a 60-day notice before resuming any late fees and shut-offs.