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Utility Billing

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1. How often am I billed?

Once a month.

Liberty utility bills are split into two billing cycles. Utility bills are mailed monthly and due each month.

Cycle 1 is distinguished by an account number beginning with a 1 (i.e. 199.9999). These bills are mailed on or about the 25th of each month and are due the 20th of the following month. For inquiries email us or call 816.439.4460.

Cycle 2 is distinguished by an account number beginning with a 2 (i.e. 299.9999). These bills are mailed on or about the 10th of each month and are due the 5th of the following month. For inquiries email us or call 816.439.4460.

2. What should I do if I have a question about my bill?

You can contact the Finance Department at 816.439.4460 or email Cycle1@libertymo.gov

3. I received a Shut-Off Notice, what should I do?

Pay your bill immediately! You can make a payment at City Hall, 101 E Kansas St, or sign on to our website and make a payment. 

Utility service will be disconnected if a delinquent bill is not paid by the due date shown on the delinquent notice. When utility service has been disconnected for bill non-payment, the full amount of the past due balance plus a reconnection fee of $25.00 must be paid before service will be reinstated. 

Customers who make payment before 2 p.m. will have water service restored the same day. Customers who make payment after 2 p.m. will have water service restored on the next business day. Meter technicians will not reconnect service and leave water on if the customer’s meter indicates that water is flowing through the meter. Customers who experience a water disconnection are expected to shut off all faucets prior to water reconnection or have someone at their place of service at the time of reconnection.

Any customer who has been disconnected, but has not already paid a $150 deposit, will be required to pay a total deposit of $150 prior to reconnection. Customers who have a deposit on file that is not equal to $150 will be required to pay the difference to bring the deposit amount up to $150. This is in addition to the payment for the past due amount and $25 reconnect fee. Cash, money orders, credit or debit cards will be the only form of payment accepted after service has been disconnected.

Sign up to pay your utility bill online

4. How is my bill calculated and what is included in my monthly bill?

Your monthly bill includes rates and fees related to water, sewer, and sanitation. The following rates are for a residential customer as of April 1, 2023

• Water is billed at a descending rate based on consumption. 
• Sewer is $16.95 per 1,000 gallons. 
• Solid waste (trash and recycling) is $19.74 per month. There is a discounted rate for seniors ages 65 and older at $11.99 per month.

The City offers a Water and Sewer Utility Bill Credit Program, which is an income-based water/sewer utility bill credit program for qualified senior citizens/disabled individuals. It provides a 15% reduction in the water and sewer rates to qualified residents.

Water rates»

5. What is a winter water average?

A winter water average benefits customers by allowing for an average sewer consumption to be billed during the summer months when customers are using more water to maintain yards and gardens. Your winter water average is based on your average water consumption during the months of November, December, January and February. It is automatically applied to your account in April. If you wish to have the winter water average removed, please call 816-439-4460.

6. Does the City of Liberty offer payment arrangements?

We offer a one-time promise-to-pay agreement to extend your payment up to two weeks.

Payment arrangements on delinquent accounts may be made one time per calendar year. Customers seeking a payment arrangement are required to sign a Promise to Pay Agreement in person. The agreement will extend the customer’s payment due date two weeks from the delinquent payment due date, at which time the past due and current charges must be paid.

Payment arrangements cannot be made for a customer whose water has already been shut off for non-payment of their utility bill. Customers desiring to learn more about payment arrangements should call the utility office at 816.439.4460.

Customers failing to adhere to the conditions of their payment agreement will not be provided any future opportunities to enter into future payment agreements.

7. Is there a fee for online payments or bank drafts?

NO FEES! Unlike many communities across the metropolitan area, the City of Liberty does not charge a convenience fee for this service.

8. Is there a fee for late payments?

The fee for paying your bill late is 10% of what is past due for water and sewer.

9. If my service is shut-off for non-payment, is there a fee to get it turned back on?

When utility service has been disconnected for bill non-payment, the full amount of the past due balance plus a reconnection fee of $25 must be paid before service will be reinstated. 

Customers who make payment before 2 p.m. will have water service restored the same day. Customers who make payment after 2 p.m. will have water service restored on the next business day. Meter technicians will not reconnect service and leave water on if the customer’s meter indicates that water is flowing through the meter. 

Customers who experience a water disconnection are expected to shut off all faucets prior to water reconnection or have someone at their place of service at the time of reconnection. Any customer who has been disconnected, but has not already paid a $150 deposit, will be required to pay a total deposit of $150 prior to reconnection. Customers who have a deposit on file that is not equal to $150 will be required to pay the difference to bring the deposit amount up to $150. This is in addition to the payment for the past due amount and $25 reconnect fee. Cash, money orders, credit or debit cards will be the only form of payment accepted after service has been disconnected.

10. Is there a senior citizen discount?

Liberty offers two credit or discount programs.

1. Qualified senior citizens / disabled individuals are eligible for a 15% reduction in their water and wastewater rates on their utility bill.

2) Liberty residents 65 years of age and older can benefit from a 50% reduction in the trash portion of the City of Liberty solid waste charges. It is not income based. Learn more»

11. Where can I pay my bill?

There are a number of ways to pay your city utility bill. 

• Online: Visit https://libertymissouri.watersmart.com/  and set up an account to access, manage and pay your bill online. 
• By Phone – Using a Credit/Debit Card or E-Check
  • You can call (855) 495-0704 (24 hours a day; 7 days a week; 365 days a year)
• Mail in Your Payment: Please attach your stub and write your account number in the memo section of your check. The mailing address is City of Liberty, P.O. Box 801737, Kansas City, MO 64180-1737
• Pay in Person
  • At the cashier’s window inside City Hall, 101 E Kansas St. 
  • Drop Boxes
    • In the drop box located across from the Liberty Police Department on Missouri St. The night drop is collected at 8 a.m. on weekdays. 
    • In the drop box located at the Liberty Community Center at 1600 S. Withers Rd. **Drop box payments are not posted until the next business day.**

Sign up to pay your bill online»

12. What are some of the benefits of receiving my bill electronically?

It is convenient, saves time and allows you to receive bills anywhere at any time. Plus, it helps the environment.

13. What are some of the benefits of paying a bill online?

Paying online with a credit/debit card or electronic check gives you the flexibility to pay how and when you want. It saves you the trouble from writing and mailing a check or driving by our office. In addition, for a faster payment experience, you may choose to store your information for future use.

14. What if I can’t locate my bill?

If your bill is not showing, please double check that the correct information was entered in the search criteria. For example, an exact match may be required.

15. Do I have to enter an email address to make a payment?

Yes, an email address is required so the payment confirmation can be delivered to your email inbox.

16. When I try to pay my bill, it asks for credit card information and I want to pay by electronic check.

Under “How would you like to pay” click on the drop-down box and choose EFT Check.

17. Will I receive a confirmation email that my bill has been paid?

Yes, you will receive a confirmation email.

18. Do I need to register to pay a bill?

No, registration is not required for One Time Payments. However, by registering you’ll be able to view prior history, set up automatic payments and store payment information, if desired.

19. I forgot my Password, how do I access my account?

Click on “Forgotten Password?” at the bottom of the login screen. You will need your account number and email address to retrieve your password. If you’re unable to locate this information, you may call us and after verifying your identity, then we’ll be able to assist.

20. What forms of payment can I use online?

You can pay with credit or debit card or you may issue an electronic check from your bank account (checking or savings).

 

21. If I pay online, how will I know that my payment has been accepted?

After you submit your payment, you will see a payment confirmation screen. It will contain your payment confirmation message. It will show an approved number for credit cards or a processed number for electronic check. You will also receive a confirmation email after your transaction is submitted. The email will include your account number, invoice number, amount paid and confirmation message. If your electronic check does not pass through the bank, you will receive an email informing you of the rejected payment.

22. Can I use more than one online payment method per transaction?

 Yes, if partial payments are accepted, you may use one payment method for part of the transaction and another payment method for other parts of the transaction.

23. How long does it take for online payments to process?

Credit card transactions are authorized immediately and typically take 48 hours to settle. ACH transactions typically take 48 – 72 hours to settle.

24. Can I tell if my payment has been posted?

Yes, simply login to your account and select “View paid or closed invoices”.

25. How long will my payment history be maintained?

24 months is the standard retention period

26. Will I be able to print a copy of my bill?

Yes, each invoice is presented in PDF and HTML format. Electronic storage is recommended because it saves paper and has a beneficial impact on our environment, but you can choose to print your bill.

27. How do I change my account information?

Simply log into your account and change any of your personal information under the My Profile tab. If you are unable to change some of your information, you may need to call us to change it for you.

28. I’m signed up for AutoPay but do not see anything showing under “Upcoming Scheduled Payments.”

The AutoPay date will not appear on the home page under Upcoming Scheduled Payments. However, when on the Scheduled Payments page, AutoPay will show.

29. What are scheduled payments?

Scheduled payments are individual payments that are scheduled for a specific date prior to the bill due date. The date of a scheduled payment can be changed as long as it is adjusted before the date scheduled.

30. What is the difference between AutoPay and a scheduled payment?

AutoPay is an automated process which pays your balance in full each billing cycle on the due date. Scheduled payments are manually entered by you for the date you choose.

31. What if I already have AutoPay set up with my bank?

You will want to contact your bank and cancel your automated bank draft before the payment is due and then you can choose to enroll in AutoPay or Recurring Scheduled Payments, if offered, using a credit/debit card or bank account through our online payment portal.

32. If I sign up to Go Paperless, how will I receive my bills?

You will receive an email notification each time a new bill is ready for you to view and pay. Email notifications go to the email address used when you registered. A courtesy email address may be added if you wish to send notifications to an additional email address.

33. Can I start receiving paper bills again?

Yes, simply login and click on Paperless. Then, select “No” and save your changes.

34. What is Pay by Text?

Pay by Text is a convenient way to pay your bill by text message. When signed up for Pay by Text, bill notifications will be sent by text message (this is in addition to email notifications) and you will then have the option to pay via text message with your default payment method by simply replying. You may enroll in Pay by Text when making an online payment or by accessing your account and selecting the Pay by Text option. A confirmation will be sent to complete your enrollment.

35. What is Account Linking?

Account Linking means that you can link multiple accounts and view and pay all your open bills with a single transaction. When registering bills under the same email address, you are given the option to link the related accounts within the service.

Multiple first email notifications scheduled for the same day, including for different bill types, are grouped into one email rather than sent separately. Payment receipts are sent individually. Editing account information such as changing an email or password will go across all linked accounts, however, changing settings such as AutoPay or paperless is only for the accessed account.

36. Is my information secure?

Invoice Cloud uses the highest standards in Internet security. Account information displayed within the payment portal is truncated to protect confidential data. Any information retained is not shared with third parties.

37. Is my credit card and checking account information safe when I pay online?

Absolutely. Invoice Cloud will safely store your financial information using Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliant systems. This includes truncating (abbreviating) account numbers so that even we do not see your complete account information.

38. What is PCI Compliance and why is it so important?

PCI stands for Payment Card Industry, and compliance with the industry standards is a requirement for those that accept the major credit cards and for software providers who have applications which involve the transmission and/or storage of credit card information.