Gainesville Regional Utilities made a couple of changes to how it bills its customers late last week, and one of them could take effect as soon as your next bill.
The company said it will change billing periods to be more budget-friendly and will pass off trash and stormwater fees to the City of Gainesville. Here's how those changes could impact your next bill.
Budget-Friendly Billing Periods - September
GRU said it will limit its standard billing periods to a maximum of 31 days. In other words, that would be the longest period of time GRU could charge you for on one billing statement. The new practice will start next month.
According to GRU's newsletter, CEO Ed Bielarski said the change will eliminate some customers' concerns over longer billing periods. With a standard billing window between 28 and 31 days, GRU said the change would allow customers to better predict and budget for their utility bills.
You can always check your billing period on your bill. Look for the "meter reading dates" heading.
GRU also offers budget billing to qualifying customers interested in paying the same amount every month.
Trash and Stormwater Fees - Oct. 1
Another change coming down the line could reduce your GRU bill by up to $86 per month, the company said; but the fees would instead be tacked onto another bill.
While GRU bills only for the services it provides, the city will transfer billing for trash and stormwater as a "special assessment" on annual property tax bills. GRU customers living outside city limits would not be affected since they pay for garbage collection through county property taxes.
You can learn more about special assessments at the City of Gainesville's website.
