Paying your water bill is an essential responsibility for all residents and businesses in the City of McKinney. The city provides clean drinking water, sewer service, drainage, and garbage collection to over 207,000 residents across more than 80 square miles. Having access to reliable water and sewer systems is something we often take for granted However, providing these necessities takes significant infrastructure and ongoing maintenance By paying your water bill regularly and on time, you help ensure seamless operation of critical systems we depend on every day.
Our complete guide will teach you everything you need to know to pay your City of McKinney water bill, which includes
- How the water billing system works
- Understanding your water bill
- When to pay your water bill
- Ways to pay your water bill
- Setting up auto-pay
- Getting billing alerts
- Checking your payment history
- Options if you can’t pay on time
Overview of McKinney’s Water Billing System
The City of McKinney manages water billing and payments through the Utility Billing department. This department oversees water, sewer drainage and garbage collection services for residential and commercial properties. Utility billing operates on one-month cycles, with bills generated around the 20th of each month.
Payment is due by the 10th of the following month. For example, the bill for July usage would be created in mid-August and payment would be due by September 10th. The city reads meters and bills residents monthly to track usage and prompt regular payments.
Understanding Your Monthly Water Bill
When you receive your water bill from the City of McKinney, it will contain detailed information about your usage and charges for that month. Key elements to look for include:
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Account number—This is a unique number that tells the city what property you own and how much water you use. Always reference this when making payments or inquiries.
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Service address – Verifies the physical location receiving water/sewer services. Check that it matches your property address.
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Billing date: The date your most recent bill was made, which is usually the 20th of every month.
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Due date – Payment must be received by this date, which is the 10th of the following month.
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Previous balance – Any amount you still owed from prior billing cycles. Pay immediately to avoid penalties.
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Payments – Lists any payments received since your last bill. Verify this matches your records.
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Water usage – How much water you used in gallons based on meter readings. Check for abnormal spikes.
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Sewer usage – Volume of wastewater discharged, typically estimated at 90% of water usage.
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Water & sewer charges – Fees based on your usage according to the city’s utility rates.
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Drainage fee – Fixed monthly charge for stormwater drainage system.
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Garbage fee – Fixed monthly fee for trash collection services.
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Taxes – Required city/state taxes on water services.
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Total amount due – Sum of all charges and taxes owed for that month.
By carefully reading your monthly bill, you can keep track of how much water your property uses and spot problems before they get too bad. If you see leaks, billing mistakes, or big jumps in usage, that could mean there is a problem.
When to Pay Your Water Bill
The due date for water bill payments is the 10th of each month. For the bill generated on August 20th, payment must be received by September 10th to avoid late fees or disruption of service.
You can pay early, but the city cannot apply funds to your account until the billing cycle closes on the due date. If the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday, payments are due the next business day.
Ideally, make payment arrangements a few days before the due date so funds arrive on time. The utility department gets extremely busy processing payments on the 10th, so last minute payments risk delays or issues.
Setting reminders in your calendar can help prevent forgetting and making late payments. Online account access also provides email or text alerts when your bill is ready and the due date nears.
Ways to Pay Your McKinney Water Bill
The City of McKinney offers several convenient options for paying water bills:
Online – The easiest way to pay is through the self-service customer portal. Sign up for an account to access your bills 24/7 and make secure credit/debit payments.
By phone – Call 972-547-7550 and follow prompts to pay over the phone using credit/debit card or electronic check.
Mail – Send a check or money order made payable to City of McKinney with your payment stub to: PO Box 8000, McKinney, TX 75070. Allow 5-7 days for delivery.
In person – Bring payment to the Utility Billing office at 401 E Virginia St, McKinney, TX 75069. They accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit/debit cards.
Drop box – Place your payment check or money order in the secure drop box in the parking lot at the Utility Billing office.
Auto-pay – Set up recurring automatic payments from your bank account on your bill’s due date. Convenient and ensures on-time payment.
Third-party pay – Use bill pay services through your bank or apps like Doxo, Prism, etc. to deliver payments on your behalf.
Review the payment options to choose the ones that best suit your needs and schedule. Many residents appreciate the simplicity of phone, online, or auto-pay. Just don’t wait until the due date, as processing can take 1-2 business days.
Setting Up Auto-Pay for Your Water Bill
Auto-pay is an easy way to ensure your water bill gets paid on time every month without the hassle of remembering. With auto-pay, the city will automatically withdraw your water bill amount from your specified bank account on the due date each billing cycle.
Follow these steps to set up auto-pay:
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Login to your online account or call 972-547-7550 for assistance.
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Under “AutoPay Accounts”, choose “Enroll in AutoPay” and accept terms.
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Select withdrawal from checking or savings account.
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Enter your bank routing and account numbers.
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Set withdrawal to occur monthly on your bill’s due date.
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Confirm setup and bank account.
That’s it! You can still review your bill each month but payment will happen automatically. Make sure your account has sufficient funds on the withdrawal date to avoid fees. You can cancel or change your auto-pay anytime through your online account.
Getting Email or Text Alerts for Your Water Bill
While not required, signing up for billing alerts through the city’s website provides helpful reminders about your water bill and can prevent late payments. With billing alerts you will receive:
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Email when your new bill is ready to view
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Email reminder before your bill is due
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Text or email notification if payment is late
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Email confirmation when payment is received
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Text or email if your balance is past due
To set up billing alerts:
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Login to your water billing online account.
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Under “My Profile”, choose “Billing Alerts”.
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Check the alerts you want and enter your email and/or mobile number.
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Save your alert preferences.
You can update the alerts any time to fit your needs. Providing multiple contact methods like email and text gives redundancy to ensure you don’t miss important notices.
Checking Your Water Bill Payment History
Your water account online profile allows you to view past water bills and payment history at any time. This provides transparency into your property’s utility usage and cost trends over time.
To lookup payment history:
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Login to your water account on the city website.
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Under “My Usage”, select “Payment History”.
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Here you can filter by date range and export data to track payments.
Checking previous bills helps identify irregular usage that may indicate leaks or other issues. Reviewing payment dates also verifies that funds are being withdrawn as expected for auto-pay customers. Maintaining your own records makes it easier to contest any discrepancies.
What to Do If You Can’t Pay Your Water Bill on Time
If you are unable to pay your water bill by the due date, immediately contact the City of McKinney Utility Billing department at 972-547-7550 to review options:
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Payment plan – Set up installment payments to pay your outstanding balance over time while maintaining service.
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Payment assistance – If eligible, enroll in a special program to reduce or pay a portion of your bill.
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Penalty waiver – Request a one-time waiver of late fees if you have a good history of on-time payments.
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Service disruption – As a last resort, request temporary shutoff to pause billing and avoid fees if vacating your home.
Avoid letting an unpaid balance go to collections or result in water shutoff by proactively communicating with the city early on. Be aware disconnection due to non-payment incurs a $30 fee.
Pay Promptly to Maintain Essential Services
Access to clean water and effective sewage management are necessities that require the cooperation of everyone benefiting from these vital city systems. Do your part for public health and the environment by paying your McKinney water bill in full and on time every month. Follow the tips in this guide to simplify the process and avoid penalties. Reach out to the billing department right away if ever unable to pay per your normal schedule. Maintaining positive standing ensures uninterrupted water service to your home or business when you need it.
