Public Utilities
Pay Your Bill Online
Click HERE to pay your Utility Bill Online
Pay Your Bill by Phone
Click HERE to learn how to pay your bill by phone
Water & Sewer Rates
Click HERE to view Water & Sewer Rates
Applying For New Service
Click HERE to apply for Water Service/Utilities
Are you new to West Columbia? Welcome, we are glad you chose West Columbia for your home. The City of West Columbia provides water, sewer and garbage service to its residents. Help us meet your new service date by contacting the city a day or two prior to your needing service. Residents must fill out an application and pay a required deposit based on the type of service such as home owner, renter, business or commercial account. It is the city’s policy not to leave water on if it appears something inside may be on; it could be a broken pipe or open faucet and we don’t want to run up your bill or flood your residence. Please make every effort to ensure that everything is turned off inside.
Disconnect Service
Service disconnection requests may be made in person at City Hall or by phone.
Billing Cycles, Payment & Fees
Utility bills are typically sent out on the 25th of every month and payment must be received on or before the 10th of each month. Should the 10th fall on a weekend or holiday, payment must be received by 5:00 p.m. the following business day; otherwise, a 20% late fee will be assessed. After the 10th, a second notice is mailed notifying the resident of the past due amount and that the water service is subject to disconnection if not paid by the 20th of the same month.
Payment may be remitted online, by phone, in person (see COVID-19 Notice below), by mail, automatic bank draft, or by using the drop box located in front of City Hall at:
512 E. Brazos Ave.
West Columbia, Texas 77486
To restore your account and service, the past due, reconnect fee and possibly an increased deposit will be collected. Service may be restored for nonpayment if payment is received by 4 pm. Call the West Columbia Police Department to restore service after hours. An additional after hours fee will be collected. No service will be restored after 8 pm.
Garbage Service
One blue cart should be at your new home. Garbage services for the blue cart is either on Monday or Tuesday depending on your location.
Heavy Trash pick up is every Friday. Heavy items or brush service is included with your residential service. Items containing Freon must have the Freon removed by licensed personnel and properly tagged. Brush and other items must be separated. Brush is to be cut in 3-4 ft. lengths, preferably bundled, as this allows more to be placed in the containers. Tires are not picked up but must be properly disposed at tire collection centers.
Payment Options
Automatic Bank Drafting
This is a FREE service.
Automatic Bank Drafting from your checking or savings account is a convenient way to pay your utility bill each month without the hassle of writing a check or remembering to schedule an online payment. There is no cost to you and your payment is automatically drafted on the due date of the bill or the day prior if the due date falls on a weekend or holiday.
You still receive your monthly bill allowing you to monitor your utility usage and how much is deducted from your account. To apply please print and fill out the application form for Automatic Payment, attach a voided check and return to the City of West Columbia, Utility Department, 512 E. Brazos (or P.O. Box 487 if by mail), West Columbia, Texas 77486 for processing. Your bill will state "Drafted" when effective or you may call the Utility Department at 979-345-3123 to verify when it is effective.
If you would like to have your account drafted but you do not want to make any or all of the voluntary charges, you must notify the Utility Department to have those charges removed.
Download an Automated Bank Draft form (PDF). You will need to submit an original into the office before this service is effective.
Payment by Drop Box
You may drop off your payment in one of two drop boxes. The drive-up drop box is located next to the City Hall facilities by the parking spaces along the front of the building. You may pay with check or money order. There is also a drop box beside the front door of City Hall. Envelopes are available in the separate supply box. Place payments ONLY in the secure drop box on top.
Payment by Mail
Your payment, can be mailed to the City of West Columbia, P.O. Box 487, West Columbia, TX 77486. Please mail your payment along with your payment stub. Allow for proper delivery time if making payment by mail. Your payment must be received by our office by the due date to avoid penalties and disconnection.
Payment in Person
ATTENTION: DUE TO THE COVID-19 HEALTH EMERGENCY, PLEASE MAKE PAYMENT IN PERSON BY USING EITHER OF THE DROP BOXES AVAILABLE AT CITY HALL. THERE IS A DRIVE-UP BOX LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE BUILDING. THE ONE LOCATED AT THE FRONT DOOR HAS ENVELOPES AVAILABLE IN THE SEPARATE SUPPLY BOX. PLACE PAYMENTS ONLY IN THE SECURE DROP BOX ON TOP.
The West Columbia City Hall is located at 512 E. Brazos Avenue, West Columbia, Texas. Our normal office hours are 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. We accept cash, check, money order, or credit card when payment is made in person.
Payment by Phone
You may pay your utility bill by phone by using the City’s automated phone line 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Check by phone is not an option at this time. (866) 279-0387
Payment by Internet
All convenience fees have been waived on internet payments. Pay by card online.
If your due date is on a holiday or weekend, the next business day becomes your penalty date. Your payment must be received by our office before the penalty date. All payments placed in the night drop or paid online before penalty date will be process before penalties are applied. All payments received on the penalty day will be assessed the penalty.
Drinking Water Quality Report
This report is required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Every water system in the country is required to publish this report. TCEQ has assessed West Columbia’s system and determined that our water is safe to drink. Since West Columbia’s water meets federal standards, there may not be any health-based benefits to purchasing bottled water or using water filtering devices.
2018 Annual Drinking Water Report
Other Utilities
Electric
Texas-New Mexico Power Company provides the electrical service in West Columbia; however residents must select an electrical provider. Visit Power to Choose to select an electrical provider and establish service.
Natural Gas
Center Point Energy provides natural gas services in West Columbia. Their phone number is 800-659-2111 or 713-659-2111.
Telephone
CenturyLink provides telephone and internet service in West Columbia. Residents can reach CenturyLink at 1-800-788-3500. Commercial customers can reach CenturyLink at 1-800-786-6272. Visit the CenturyLink website. To transfer existing service, go to CenturyLinkQuote
Cable
NewWave Communications provides cable and internet service in West Columbia. They can be reached at 1-979-543-6858.
Reading Your Water Bill
When you receive your first water bill, look it over as it contains a lot of great information. Starting at the top center, you will notice SERVICE CODES.
CR - Credit Balance. If you should pay more than due or receive a credit.
MI - Miscellaneous charges such as a transfer fee, turn on or off fee, etc.
RC - If you account is turned off for non-payment, a reconnect fee is assessed.
GA - Garbage/recycling service. For residential accounts this includes brush pickup.
AM - Ambulance voluntary charge. If you do not wish to have this billed on your account, you may contact city hall to have it removed from your account.
TX - Sales tax on Garbage Service. The city is required to collect sales tax for this service.
WA - Water Service. The amount calculated for water consumption or a minimum charge if no water goes through the meter.
SW - Sewer Service. The amount calculated at 90% of water usage or a minimum charge if there is no consumption. For residential accounts, there is a ceiling or maximum charge for 15,000 gallons.
AR - Balance from previous billing cycling
FD - Fire Department voluntary charge. If you do not wish to have this billed on your account, you may contact city hall to have it removed from your account.
Again, on the left below SERVICE CODES, the next section states your account number, the beginning date for this month’s bill, the ending date for this month’s bill, and the date the bill is due to avoid any penalties.
The next section lists the SERVICE CODE, with the exception of the first line, the name of the SERVICE CODE and the amount due for that particular service. The first line has additional information for water consumption. It includes the meter reading for the beginning date for this month’s bill, the meter reading for the ending date for this month’s bill, the usage (the reading is in hundreds and to correctly see how many gallons is billed, add to zeroes to this number) and then the amount charged.
The next section is a comment line. The city will state information citizens may be interested in this section.
The black space below explains voluntary charges that may be removed from your bill.
The white section below this explains that penalties are added to your bill if not paid by the 10th of the month due. It also explains that if payment is not received by the 20th, your account will be disconnected on the 21st of the same month. It also explains the reconnect fee charges.
The right side of the bill is a summary of your account number and amounts due.
Please bring the entire bill with you when paying in person as we stamp one as your receipt. If paying by mail, return the right side or summary side with your payment so that we can be sure to credit the correct account.
When you receive your utility bill, if you should have any questions about charges, usage or change of mailing address, please contact the Utility Department at 979-345-3123.
The bottom of the bill states the net (amount due before the 10th of the month), the due date and the gross (amount due after the 10th of the month)