Special to Iredell Free News
The City of Statesville currently has 2,100 residential utility accounts with deferred payments, totaling more than $640,000 past due.
Statesville Utilities customers are urged to contact the Customer Services Office as soon as possible to set up a payment plan for any balances they may have. The executive order which has allowed residential utility customers to defer payment of their utility bills is expected to expire July 29.
Residential utility customers have been allowed to defer payment of their utility bills without penalty of late fees or being disconnected since March. This policy was issued in an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper to help protect customers impacted financially by COVID-19.
Statesville Customer Services staff understands the financial hardship the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to many customers and can help set up a repayment plan for charges that became due during the effective period of the order. Charges for services used will not be forgiven or reduced.
Throughout the State of Emergency, the Statesville Customer Services Office has encouraged customers to make payments to reduce the amount they will owe when the order expires. In addition, the staff has given information to customers about local agencies which may be able to assist with payments.
Here is an illustration to help explain the importance of paying down the balance now. Let’s say a customer has accrued $1,500 in utility charges between April and July. This total goes into the six-month extended payment plan which will be $250 per month. The customer now must pay $250 per month along with each of the next six regular monthly bills. These bills will be much higher than usual and the protection from late fees and disconnections will no longer be in place.
The City encourages its customers to pay as much as they can toward their unpaid utility bills before the end of July, especially balances due prior to March 29, as those balances are not protected by the current Executive Order.
LEARN MORE
For more information, contact the Customer Services office at 704-878-3564 or customerservice@statesvillenc.net Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Customer Services Office is currently closed to face to face traffic at this time, but are able to handle all services via phone, email or drive-thru.