Charlotte County Utilities
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
(941) 764-4300 ~ (800) 524-3494 ~ TDD: (941) 764-4535
Billing and Rates
For detailed information on CCU billing and rates, please view our current rate schedule.
When is my bill due?
Bills are due and payable when rendered. Your bill shows the billing date and the due date, which is 20 days from the billing date. If the bill is not paid on time, late fees are assessed three days after the due date. After five days, if payment is still not received and posted to the account, an Urgent Notice is mailed.
Can I have a payment deadline extension?
Yes, provided you telephone our office before your “Urgent Notice” has expired. When financial hardships occur, we can offer the owner a payment extension. This will not, however, make the account exempt from late fee penalties. For more information call (941) 764-4300 and select Collections for assistance.
I did not receive a bill this month.
If you did not receive a bill this month, you are still responsible for your bill payment. Please contact our Customer Account Specialists at (941) 764-4300 and select Customer Service. If you prefer, you can use EZ-Pay to verify the amount due. Select “One-Time Payment,” enter your CCU account number as it appears on your bill and your billing zip code and press “Submit.”
How much does it cost to have the water turned on?
The current charge for new connections is $40.
Why is there a $40 charge on my first bill?
The $40 charge is a one-time charge to have the account set up, have a CCU representative come to your home to turn on the water or read the meter and generate the first bill.
Can you put an explanation of all charges on the bill?
On the back of your bill, there is an explanation of the billing components. For more information, please review the remainder of the Billing & Rates FAQ.
Why does my bill list multiple Residential Water Service charges?
We bill on a tiered rate to encourage water conservation. The first rate tier is applied to water usage up to 5,999 gallons. Additional water usage is billed at higher rates, thus, if you use 6,000 gallons or more in a given month, your bill will reflect multiple residential water service charges, one for each applicable rate tier.
What is the Customer Charge on my bill?
The customer charge includes the cost associated with the reading of the meter, the billing of the account and collection of the bill. This is charged monthly to each metered or sewer-only account.
What is a Base Facility Charge?
This is the monthly cost of having the system in place and prepared to serve the customer. This charge is designed to recover those capital expenses that are fixed, do not vary with consumption and are not recovered from separate charges.
Why do I have two Base Facility Charges on my bill?
There is a Base Facility charge for each service provided to a property. If your property is served with water and wastewater collection (sewer), you are charged a base facility for each service.
Why must I pay monthly charges even when I’m not using any water?
CCU’s rates are structured so that each customer pays a fair share of the fixed and non-variable costs incurred to provide water and wastewater collection service. Many of those costs continue even when the water is not being used. These and other fixed operating costs are covered by the Base Facility Charge. Variable costs associated with actual water usage cease when water and wastewater collection services are not used.
What is the annual Fire Protection charge on my bill and how is it calculated?
The annual fire protection charge is a standby charge that is made available to the customer in the event of a fire. This charge applies to general services only for the overhead sprinkler systems in the event of a fire. The charge is based on the size of the water main which provides service to hydrants and/or sprinkler systems in privately owned buildings connected to CCU water mains.
Why is my usage the same month after month?
Your meter is read and billed in thousands of gallons. If the household activity does not change from month to month, it is not unusual for the usage to be the same. You are billed for the actual usage in thousands of gallons and not the hundreds.
Why is my usage so high this month?
• Did you have company visiting during this period of time?
• Have you been watering your landscape?
• Did you have a problem with a toilet being stuck in the flush position?
• Have you checked the leak detector indicator on your meter?
• Have you read your meter? Is it the same or higher than what your bill shows?
• Did you fill your pool in the past month?
• Did you pressure wash your driveway or the outside of your house in the past month?
If none of these suggestions resolves the issue, please contact one of our Customer Account Specialists at (941) 764-4300 and select Customer Service for assistance.
How do you bill for water service?
CCU bills for water usage in increments of 1,000 gallons. Each month, your usage is rounded down to the nearest thousand gallons, and any additional usage will appear on the next month’s bill.
How do you bill for wastewater service?
Wastewater charges are based on water usage. For residential properties, we bill for wastewater collection based on actual monthly water use up to 10,000 gallons per month. These rates are designed to take into account that not all water used ends up in the wastewater collection system.
Can my monthly bill be sent by e-mail?
CCU is not equipped to send bills via e-mail at this time. We do have EZ-Pay available online. It’s quick and easy. You can sign up for a one-time payment or select recurring payments. The choice is yours. Please note: Payments made online after 2 p.m. will not be posted until the next business day.
Why do I still receive a paper bill when I am on Auto Draft?
Currently, our billing system does not differentiate between auto draft bills and regular bills, so a bill is mailed to each customer, unless there is no amount due.
I am on Auto Draft and my bill does not state this. Why?
We are presently working with Bank of America/EZ-Pay to obtain recurring accounts so that we can merge them into our billing system.
Why are the rates so high in Charlotte County?
CCU's rates reflect the actual cost of providing safe drinking water and environmentally sound wastewater collection, treatment and effluent disposal. These services have become more heavily regulated over the years as concerns over health and protection of the environment have grown.
Rates and charges also reflect the cost of water purchased from the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (PR/MRWSA), maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructure, debt payment associated with acquisitions, and Utility operation and administration.
I have a financial crisis and cannot pay my utility bill. What can I do?
You may be eligible for the HeartShip Program.
