How to Pay Your Hi Desert Water Bill

Living in California’s beautiful Hi Desert region means relying on the Hi Desert Water District for this precious resource. As a customer, it’s important to know how to pay your water bill efficiently and on time each month. This guide covers everything you need to know about managing your Hi Desert Water account and paying your bill.

Overview of Hi Desert Water District

The Hi Desert Water District (HDWD) provides water and sewer service to over 28,000 customers in the Town of Yucca Valley and surrounding areas of San Bernardino County HDWD operates 8 deep water wells, 17 booster stations, and over 270 miles of water mains.

As a public utility, HDWD is governed by an elected 5-member Board of Directors. Daily operations are handled by the district’s management team and staff located at the district office in Yucca Valley.

Hi Desert Water Billing Cycle

HDWD bills residents on a monthly cycle. Your due date depends on your service location:

• West of SR-247 – Bills are due on the 25th of each month
• East of SR-247 – Bills are due on the 10th of each month

Bills are calculated based on your prior month’s water consumption. For example, your March bill covers usage for February.

New customer accounts receive an initial bill roughly 1 month after service begins. This gives HDWD time to read your meter and calculate the appropriate charges.

Reading Your Hi Desert Water Bill

HDWD water bills provide detailed information including:

• Account information like account number, service address, and bill date
• Previous and current meter readings
• Water consumption for the billing period (displayed in units and gallons)
• Fixed service fee for facilities and infrastructure
• Water usage fee based on consumption
• Any discounts, fees, credits or charges
• Total amount due

Carefully reviewing the usage and charges sections ensures there are no unexpected spikes that may indicate leaks or other issues. Contact HDWD immediately if your bill seems abnormal.

Ways to Pay Your Hi Desert Water Bill

HDWD offers several convenient payment options:

Online – Pay via credit card or e-check through HDWD’s online payment portal. Just have your account number ready.

Phone – Call the HDWD payment line at 760-365-8333 and pay with a card or electronic check over the phone.

Mail – Detach the payment stub from your bill and mail it with a check or money order. Allow 5 business days for mailed payments.

In person – Bring your payment to the HDWD office during business hours (7:30am – 5pm, Monday to Thursday).

Drop box – Place your payment in the secure drop box at the HDWD entrance. Only checks or money orders can be left in the drop box.

AutoPay – Have payments automatically deducted from your bank account each month. Complete HDWD’s AutoPay form to enroll.

Recurring credit card – Set up recurring monthly charges to the same card without logging in each time. Call HDWD to get started.

HDWD does not currently offer pay by text or at third-party locations like grocery stores. The district accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Card, checks, or electronic checks.

Avoid Late Fees on Your Water Bill

Payments not received by the monthly due date will incur a 10% late penalty. Failure to pay your outstanding balance after 30 days results in disconnection of water service.

Avoid late fees and service interruptions by:

• Paying by the due date each month
• Enrolling in AutoPay or setting up recurring card payments
• Sending mail-in payments 5 business days before the due date
• Addressing unusually high bills immediately
• Contacting HDWD if you expect payment issues or delays

Customers receive a final late notice allowing 5 days to pay before shut offs. Reconnection requires paying the overdue amount plus a $50 disconnection/reconnection fee.

Financial Assistance Programs

HDWD offers several programs to help customers manage bills, including:

• Payment arrangements – Establish a personalized payment plan for overdue balances

• Bill round up – Have your bill rounded up to donate the balance to those in need

• Low-income discount – 30% discount for qualifying low-income households

• Medical support – 50% discount for financially restricted customers with a qualifying medical condition

Contact HDWD Customer Service to learn about enrolling in these assistance options if needed. Programs have individual requirements for eligibility and enrollment.

Communication is Key

By keeping the lines of communication open, HDWD’s customer service team can work with you on billing questions or issues as they arise:

• Review bills carefully each month and contact HDWD immediately if something seems inaccurate or abnormal. This helps identify leaks, meter issues, or other concerns as early as possible.

• If paying on time will be an issue in any given month, get in touch with HDWD right away to discuss payment plan options before service disruption.

• Notify HDWD any time your contact information changes, so billing notices and reminders reach you reliably.

• Be responsive to all communications from HDWD, including calls, emails, late notices and door tags. This saves critical time in resolving any problems.

• Provide honest, complete information when seeking financial assistance. Program eligibility is based on individual circumstances.

Keeping your Hi Desert Water account current and communicating promptly goes a long way towards uninterrupted service. Reach out to HDWD with any billing or payment questions.