Billing Services
Thank you for choosing the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (CBPU) for your utility needs! Here you will find all of our billing information - from making a payment to understanding your bill - we are here to help you navigate our billing services! If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service Department at (517) 279-9531.
Payment Options
Coldwater residents and CBPU customers may send in their payments to City Hall in sealed envelopes. Please use the following addresses:
Tax Payments: City of Coldwater Treasurer, 1 Grand Street, Coldwater, MI 49036
Utility Bill Payments: CBPU Customer Service Department, 1 Grand Street, Coldwater, MI 49036
Automatic Bill Pay*
The most convenient way to pay with the CBPU!
Accounts on Autopay
- Receive a regular monthly billing statement showing the amount due, the due date, and monthly utility usage.
- Have their monthly payment withdrawn from their checking or savings account on the due date of the bill, eliminating the worry of being late and remembering different websites and passwords to make a payment.
- Pay on time, in a recurring manner, making life a little easier to balance.
Take advantage of Automatic Bill Pay today by signing up ---> Here.
Pay in Person
We are located at 1 Grand Street in the Henry L. Brown Municipal Building - just north of the intersection of Chicago Street and Marshall Street in the center of the City of Coldwater.
Equal Payment Plan***
The equal payment program shall be available to eligible automatic bill pay customers when a history of usage and payments, for any service location, has been established. All arrears on accounts must be current at the time of the agreement. The budget plan shall be reviewed periodically but at least annually. Adjustments to budget payments may be made as deemed necessary.
Online Bill Pay**
Make payments with your credit or debit card from the comfort of your home. Payments options are available at the Online Payment Center. Here are some important things to remember:
- If possible, please use a checking/routing number to pay through PSN.
- Only residential customers and small business accounts are allowed to pay through PSN using a credit card.
- Autopay is the easiest way to pay your utility bill hassle-free without any fees.
If you cannot pay on the due date of their bill through autopay and still prefer to pay online, ask your bank if they have a money-transfer program in place for the payment of utility bills.
DropBox
The City of Coldwater and CBPU's drop box is located in the Parking Lot on the west side of City Hall and is open for use. Please place payments in sealed envelopes labeled their purpose.
Billing Assistance
Customer Care
We understand the importance of energy and water in your life and aim to keep your services turned on. Throughout the year, we work with government agencies and community organizations that offer payment assistance to income-qualified residents.
If you are behind on your CBPU utility bill, please contact our Customer Service Team at (517) 279-9531 to discuss your payment options and avoid disruptions. We offer several resources to help customers with their utility bills. We will work with you to find a payment plan to best suit your budget and utility needs.
Find more information ---> here.
COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA)
The COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program is a new program providing rent and utility assistance to households experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), which is administering this program, began accepting applications on March 15, 2021.
The program provides up to 12 months of past-due rental assistance, three months of prospective rent, and past-due residential utility services, including electric, gas, water, sewer, and garbage services. Applicants may also have access to a $300 internet stipend if qualified.
Who is Eligible?
Those eligible to apply include tenants who rent their homes and meet the following conditions:
- Tenants whose 2020 household income did not exceed 80% of the area’s median income
- Households where at least one individual has qualified for unemployment benefits or has experienced a reduction in household income
- Households where at least one individual has experienced financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the coronavirus outbreak
- Households with at least one member who is uncertain of where they will stay or may become homeless without housing assistance
Can I Get Help with My Utilities?
Yes, eligible households for CERA can receive utility assistance for tenant-supplied electricity, home heating (any type of fuel), water, sewer, and trash (if billed along with another utility).
Utility Assistance
| Household Sizes | Maximum Total One Time Utility Payment | Maximum Future Utility Payment as a Credit |
| 1-2 Persons | $1,500 | $300 |
| 3-4 Persons | $2,000 | $500 |
| 5+ Persons | $2,500 | $500 |
How Do I Apply?
To apply for the program, and to learn more, visit the MSHDA website.
Notice
*CBPU reserves the right to terminate automatic bill pay for any and all parties who do not comply with the terms of the ACH agreement. Any account with two returned electronic funds transfer transactions in a twelve-month period will be removed from the plan and may be ineligible for reinstatement. Automated payment plans shall terminate upon payment of the final bill and can be terminated at any time upon the written request of the customer.
**Customers paying with 'reward' types of credit cards will be removed from Online Bill Pay. Online Bill Pay available to residential (Rate A) and small business (Rate B) customers only.
***Account must be current to enroll in the Equal Payment Plan. The amount of the Equal Payment Plan shall be reviewed periodically but at least annually with adjustments to the amount as deemed necessary. CBPU reserves the right to terminate the Equal Payment Plan for parties who do not comply with the terms of the written agreement.
How Your Monthly Bill is Determined
The Current Charges Section of Your Bill Will List Some of These.Your bill will vary every month. The costs and charges are based on household usage to the specific areas.
Electric
- Base - Readiness to serve charge. This base charge funds the maintenance of electrical infrastructure.
- Usage- Electrical usage is billed based upon kilowatts used. Kilowatts are determined by monthly meter readings.
- Residential customers are billed at a residential rate
- A variety of rates for commercial customers are available based on the customers needs.
Water
- Base - Readiness to serve charge. This base charge funds the maintenance of water infrastructure.
- Usage - Water usage is billed per thousand gallons based on monthly meter reads.
Sewer
- Base - Readiness to serve charge. This base charge funds the maintenance of sewer infrastructure
- Usage - Sewer usage is based upon the water meter reading. Like water usage, it is billed per thousand gallons.
Click Here to view a sample bill
Miscellaneous
- Power Cost Adjustment - A variable month-to-month cost based on your kilowatt usage. The cost is determined based on our power supply cost. For more detailed information please refer to our Rules, Rates, & Regulations.
- Energy Optimization - This charge is applied to residential, secondary, primary, and unmetered lighting customers to recover all costs associated with the CBPU's Energy Optimization Plan.
- Telecommunication Services - These charges are based on the customers choices for telecom service.
- Television Programming (Skitter TV and Acclaim)
- Internet (Cable Modem and Fiber)
- Phone (Digital)
- Garbage & Recycling
- Electric Tax
- Late Fees
Why Do Rates Increase?
Why does your local public utility organization raise your utility rates? The most common reason given (and reasons must be given) is the fact that they often need to make repairs, updates, etc. to existing equipment and that cost trickles down to the consumer. Sometimes the rates are increased in order to keep up with cost of living, as well as changes in weather and the environment.
Our goal is to make our rates simple, understandable, and acceptable for our Coldwater community members. Ultimately the City and the Board of Public Utilities want to clear any misconceptions that my arise from a rate change.
Electric:
The electrical rate adjustment that was recently approved is the direct result of the 2015 cost of service (COS) study for the electric utility. The proposed rate adjustments keep the financial performance of the fund on target to meet near term capital needs (infrastructure) and power supply cost (cost to obtain electrical power) increases.
Water & Wastewater:
These adjustments are the result of the update by Utility Financial Solutions (UFS) of the cost of service (COS) studies for the water and wastewater operations. The proposed rate track supports the 5 year financial projections and capital needs (infrastructure) for both utilities.
Additional reasons your public utility may raise rates:
- Operations - Putting money towards operations allows the public utility to hire more employees for different departments as the surrounding areas grow.
- Maintenance - Maintenance allows the public utility to fix, upgrade, and maintain already installed equipment.
- Replace old infrastructure - Money set aside for replacing old parts is crucial for any public utility. Eventually pieces need to be replaced in order to work efficiently. A rate increase will help with getting the best equipment for your use.
- Meet state requirements - In order for the CBPU to keep supplying water to residents, we must meet state requirements. These requirements are directly related to any water that you drink, flush, bathe, or swim in.
- Upgrades to pumping stations - These stations are located in different places around the community. Pumping stations are responsible for lifting water up high enough in order to pump it elsewhere. They are used for a variety of reasons such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage waste to processing plants.