How To Pay Your Bills Online With The City Of Escanaba

410 Ludington Street, P.O. Box 948, Escanaba MI 49829 906-786-0552 Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. After Hours, Holidays and Emergencies Call Public Safety at 906.786.5911

Paying your bills online is becoming more and more common these days. It’s fast easy and convenient for many people. The City of Escanaba offers online bill pay for things like utilities, taxes, tickets, and more through their website. In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about paying your Escanaba bills online.

An Overview of Online Bill Pay with Escanaba

The City of Escanaba transitioned to a new utility billing software and credit card processor in July 2020 in order to offer online bill pay. After years of requests from customers, the city was finally able to provide the ability to pay bills and fees via credit card, debit card, or electronic check.

This enables residents to pay their bills online 24/7 instead of having to come into the office during business hours, Payments can be made from the comfort of your home or anywhere you have an internet connection,

The City of Escanaba partnered with a company called Point & Pay to handle the credit card transactions. Point & Pay accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express with no limits on payment amounts.

However, Point & Pay does charge a small processing fee for each transaction. This fee goes directly to Point & Pay, not the city government. We’ll break down those fees coming up.

What Bills Can You Pay Online?

Through the Escanaba online bill pay system you can pay your

Utility bills (water, sewer, electric, etc.)
Property taxes
Parking tickets
Marina fees
Library fees
Recreation program fees

So most city bills and fees can be handled online now rather than having to mail in checks or pay in person.

How to Pay Your Bill Through Escanaba’s Website

Paying online through the City of Escanaba website is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:

Go to the Online Payments page on the city’s website.
Click the “Online Utility and Tax Payments” button.
This will take you to the Escanaba payment portal through Point & Pay.
Select “City of Escanaba” and then log in or register for an account.
Choose the type of bill you want to pay. You can search by address, name, account number, etc.
Enter your payment details including card number or checking account.
Review your payment info and submit.

That’s all there is to it! The payment will be processed immediately and you’ll have a record of the transaction in your account.

Other Ways to Pay Beyond Online Payments

While the online bill pay system is convenient, the City of Escanaba does still offer other payment methods if you prefer:

In person at the utility billing window in City Hall by cash or check.
Drop box on the west side of City Hall for check or cash payments.
Mail your payment to City Hall with a check.
Automatic bank withdrawals – you can sign up to have payments automatically withdrawn from your bank account at no cost by filling out a form.

So online bill pay simply provides another option that residents have been requesting – it does not replace the existing payment methods.

Convenience Fees for Online Payments

As mentioned earlier, Point & Pay does charge convenience fees for processing online transactions. Here is the breakdown of those fees:

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex) – 2.8% of the transaction amount
Electronic checks – Flat fee of $1.50 per transaction

These fees go directly to Point & Pay to cover payment processing costs. None of it goes to the City of Escanaba. The city government does not make any additional revenue from online bill pay convenience fees.

While the fees are minor, keep them in mind if you are paying larger utility bills. You may want to use your bank account rather than credit card to keep fees lower. But for smaller payments like a parking ticket, the convenience fee will be small.

The other payment methods like cash, check, or bank withdrawals do not have any fees. But they involve more time and effort on your part.

Security of Online Payments

With any online payments, security is always a concern. Rest assured that Point & Pay uses industry-standard encryption and security protocols to protect your data. They are certified as PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant, meaning they adhere to stringent data security requirements.

When you register for an account, you create a unique username and password. All payments must be authorized through this account. Your full credit card number is never stored on the site.

If you do not want to create an account, you can simply enter your payment info as a one-time guest for convenience. But an account provides an extra layer of security.

Benefits of Paying Bills Online

Paying your Escanaba bills online provides a wide range of benefits such as:

Convenience – Pay 24/7 instead of during office hours
Speed – Payments processed immediately
Efficiency – Takes just minutes to complete
Accessibility – Pay anywhere with internet access
Security – Encrypted transactions and option for account
Record keeping – Payment history stored in your account
Auto-pay – Can setup recurring payments
Environment – Reduces paper bills and checks being mailed

For many people, the convenience factor is the biggest benefit. Busy families don’t always have time to run to City Hall during work hours. Online payments can be done anytime from your laptop or even smartphone.

Who to Contact With Questions

If you have any questions about online bill payment through the City of Escanaba, you can:

Call the Utility Department at 906-786-0552 between 7:30am and 4:00pm on weekdays.
Email [email protected]
Stop by the Utility Billing window in City Hall

The utility billing staff members are knowledgeable about the system and can walk you through the process if you have any trouble.

Paying bills online is something we expect in the digital age. The City of Escanaba now offers a convenient and secure online bill pay system through their website and Point & Pay.

With just a few clicks, you can securely pay your city utilities, taxes, tickets, and fees from home in minutes. While there are small processing fees, the time savings are worth it for many residents.

Hopefully this article gave you a better understanding of how online payments work with the City of Escanaba. Take advantage of the convenience of paying your Escanaba bills online today!

City Of Escanaba Bill Pay

New customers are required to pay a minimum deposit of $200.00. Account transfers are assessed fees of $10.00 to $200 depending on the nature of the transfer. Below are links to each of the City’s utility rate ordinances, which contain a complete listing of all applicable fees and charges.

Listed below are the City’s current residential and commercial rate ordinances:

Water Rate Ordinance
Wastewater Rate Ordinance
Electric Rate Ordinance
Solid Waste Rate Ordinance
To View and Pay your Bill (Click here)

The utility office prepares and mails electric, water, sewer, and garbage bills for the City of Escanaba. We also assist our residents and customers in matters related to the following:

Billing and outstanding balances
New customer accounts
Changes to existing accounts
Shut offs due to non-payment
Issues related to high or low usage
Stopped meters
Payment plans and customer credit issues
Move ins and move outs
Vouchers and vendor payments
Service calls
Meter reading

Escanaba launches new app for its residents

Does the city of Escanaba accept credit card payments?

Back in July 2020, the City of Escanaba switched to new software for billing utilities and a new credit card company. The planning and implementation of this software took nearly a year to complete. After many years of customer requests, we are happy to say that the City of Escanaba now lets you pay your bills with a credit card at the utility window.

How can I pay my City of Escanaba bill?

The drop box is open 24 hours a day and can be used to pay any City of Escanaba bill. Indicate the account number associated with the bill clearly when making the payment. On or around July 10, summer taxes are due. They can be paid until September 15, and there are no late fees.

How do I contact the Escanaba utility office?

After Hours, Holidays, and Emergencies:Please contact Public Safety at 906-786-5911. The Utility Office is in charge of making and sending out the City of Escanaba’s water, sewer, electric, and garbage bills. They also assist residents and customers with the following:

What is the Escanaba water utility?

The Escanaba Water Utility is a public community water system run by the City Department of Public Utilities – Water Division. It serves water to 13,659 people who live in and around Escanaba, Michigan, a port city in Delta County.

Who is responsible for preparing a utility bill in Escanaba?

Please contact Public Safety at 906-786-5911. The Utility Office is in charge of making and sending out the City of Escanaba’s water, sewer, electric, and garbage bills. They also help residents and customers with the following: new customers must put down at least $400 as a deposit 00.

Does Escanaba have a water quality report?

The Safe Drinking Water Act tells the EPA that City Of Escanaba Utilities has to check the water quality in the area once a year and send out a Consumer Confidence Water Quality Report. At WaterZen, we review these reports and make the information available, in a concise, straightforward, and easy-to-understand way.