Water and Wastewater Utility Billing

Impacts of COVID-19 on programs and services:
Town Administrative Offices are open for in-person services. Some staff will continue to work from home, so if you need to meet with a specific individual, we encourage you to call or email in advance to ensure their availability. Services will also continue to be available online or by phone – learn about our virtual services.

See the Town's COVID-19 page for more information.

This page provides an overview of everything you need to know about your water and wastewater utility bills with the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury. Please note that all forms referenced are available to the right, along with our contact information in case you don't find the answer to your question here.

Water/wastewater utility bills and rates

When are utility bills issued and what are the due dates?

PLEASE NOTE: Council approved a 90-day grace period on payment of water/wastewater utility bills with no penalties and interest. This means that late payments of the January-February bill (due April 17) and the March-April bill (due June 16) will not be subject to interest or penalties until after July 16. No action or application is required to take advantage of this deferral.

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The Town uses a bi-monthly billing schedule. Bills are issued in January, March, May, July, September and November, each covering the preceding two months. For example, a bill is issued in mid-May for the period of March 1 through April 30.

Payment is due 35 days from the date the bill was issued.

Can my utility bill be emailed to me? (paperless billing)

Yes, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury now offers e-billing for water/wastewater bills! Just send an email to finservices@townofbwg.com - you must use an email address that contains the full name of one of the property owners.

In the body of your message, be sure to include your name, account number, service address and the email address you would like to receive your bills to.

You can also switch your property tax bills to e-bills using the same process.

Please be aware that you can only receive either an e-bill or a paper bill, but not both.

What are the CURRENT RATES and how are the charges calculated?

Your bill is calculated based on your usage over two months, as well as a fixed fee that you pay regardless of whether you use the utility. Below are charts showing the difference between our 2019 and 2020 rates.

WATER: Bi-monthly rates
	2019 Rates	2020 Rates (as of Jan.1)
Residential
Water supply charge	$38.00	$39.00
First 30 cubic metres	$1.42	$1.45
30 to 60 cubic metres	$1.57	$1.61
Over 60 cubic metres	$1.81	$1.85
General Service
Water supply charge	$94.00	$96.00
First 200 cubic metres	$1.83	$1.88
Over 200 cubic metres	$1.47	$1.51

WASTEWATER: Bi-monthly rates
	2019 Rates	2020 Rates (as of Jan.1)
Residential
Wastewater supply charge	$28.00	$29.00
First 30 cubic metres	$1.43	$1.46
30 to 60 cubic metres	$1.58	$1.62
Over 60 cubic metres	$1.81	$1.85
General Service
Wastewater supply charge	$82.00	$84.00
First 200 cubic metres	$3.65	$3.73
Over 200 cubic metres	$2.94	$3.00

What can I do if my bill/usage seems too high?

If you have questions or concerns about the usage reading, please contact the billing department at 905-775-5303 ext. 6030 or email finservices@townofbwg.com.

Did you know that you can validate the meter reading on your bill by checking the head of the water meter in your home? For other questions regarding water meters and readings, please contact the water department at 905-775-5369.

Paying your water/wastewater utility bill

How do I pay my water/wastewater bill?

You have FIVE options for how to pay your water/wastewater utility bills.

1. Pay automatically through your bank account by enrolling in our convenient pre-authorized debit plan.

Withdrawals will be made on the “Drafted on” date noted on the stub of your utility bill.

Your account must be in good standing to be eligible to enroll in a pre-authorized debit plan.

Fill out our pre-authorized debit application form and include your void cheque or direct banking form to apply. Options for returning the form to us can be found on the application.

2. Pay manually through your bank by internet, telephone or at the teller.

Most financial institutions offer internet or telephone banking for payment of your water/wastewater bills. To set up your water/wastewater bill as a new payee search for “Bradford” and then BE SURE to select water/wastewater utility bill rather than property taxes or any other company that may have the word Bradford in its name.

Every system is different, so if you have specific questions about setting up Town water/wastewater bills for online or telephone banking, or if you experience any technical difficulties, please contact your financial institution.

You can also pay through registered financial institutions by taking your bill to their teller counter or automated teller.

3. Pay through the mail by cheque

Send a cheque with the appropriate stub from your utility bill to:
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury
P.O. Box 160
Bradford, ON L3Z 2A8

NOTE: The Town is unable to predict the length of time your payment may take to arrive by mail. If you do not feel you have adequate time, drop your cheque and bill stub at the Finance Office instead. (see option #4)

4. Pay in person by cash, cheque or debit

In-person payments must be made at the Town Finance Office located at 61 Holland St. E, Bradford. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on all statutory holidays. In-office payment methods are cash, cheque or debit only (no credit card payments).

Outside of office hours, you may deposit payments by cheque only with appropriate bill stub in the drop box outside the Finance Office. Please do not put cash in the drop box.

5. Pay online by credit card

The only method by which you can pay your water/wastewater utility bill using a credit card is through your own financial institution's website or our Virtual Town Hall online service. Visit the Virtual Town Hall website to create your account. A service fee is charged based on the amount being paid. Charges are subject to change.

Please note that Virtual Town Hall can only be used by property owners; it is not available to tenants.

What if my bill arrives late or gets lost in the mail?

Account holders are responsible for making payments to their accounts on or before each due date.

Failure to receive a bill does not excuse an owner from making payment by the due date. Penalty and interest is charged on the first day of each month when there are arrears on an account.

Missing a bill?

If you misplaced or did not receive a bill, you can view your account using our Virtual Town Hall (just click the blue button on the right), or call or email us for the information. If you require a reprint of your bill, one of the property owners must visit the Finance Office in person with photo ID and pay a $10 fee.

How do I know if you will get my payment on time?

To understand how early you need to send your payment, let's look at how your payment gets dated:

If you pay through your bank, the Town honours the date that your payment is received by your bank.
If you pay by sending a cheque using Canada Post, a courier or some other delivery agent, the Town honours the date that your payment is received by the Town, NOT the date that you sent it.
If you pay in person at the Town's Finance Office, the Town honours the date that your payment is made at the Town.
If you pay by cheque using the after-hours drop-box at the Finance Office, it will be dated the previous business day. The drop box is checked each morning when the office opens for business.

How much will I be charged if I miss a payment due date?

Penalty and interest will be charged at the rate of 2.5% if payment is not received by the payment due date.

What happens if my water/wastewater account is in arrears 120 days or more past due?

Any outstanding water/wastewater charges 120 days past due or greater will be transferred to your property tax account and collected in the same manner as property taxes.

You (current property owner) will be notified in writing of any pending water/wastewater arrears to be transferred to taxes and given a due date. If payment is not received in full by the specified due date, the past due arrears will be transferred and a transfer fee will be applied to the property tax account.

Utility bill information for tenants and property owners with tenants

Who is responsible for water/wastewater utility charges when a property is rented?

Property owners are responsible for all utility services and charges, even on rental properties.

The Town of Bradford will not make any changes to a utility billing account unless the request comes directly from the property owner of a tenant property, as the contractual lease agreement between the owner and the tenant does not involve the Town.

The following rules apply to a tenanted property:

The property owner is responsible for making arrangements with the tenant for payment of the account, and remains solely responsible for any unpaid amounts.
If a utility bill is not paid on time, the unpaid balance will be transferred to the property owner’s property tax roll for collection.
Utility bills will be sent to the property owner either at the rental property or their own mailing address, in their name.
Utility bills will not be put in the tenant’s name. The property owner may request in writing to have a duplicate copy of the utility bill sent to the tenant at the service address as a courtesy for the purpose of payment, in the owner’s name care of the tenant/occupant.
A property owner who has requested that a duplicate copy of a utility bill be sent to a tenant at the service address is solely responsible for calculating and advising amounts owing as tenants “move in” and “move out”. Please contact our office if you require further assistance with calculating the tenant’s pro-rated portion of a current billing.
A request for a final reading can only be requested by the property owner. Please note that a new account will not be created when a tenant moves in or out.
A property owner who has requested that a duplicate copy of a Utility bill be sent to a tenant at the service address, is solely responsible for informing the Town of BWG of any changes to their account, including the tenant's mailing address by using the New/Change/Cancel Account form.

I'm a tenant - can I get a copy of the utility bill sent directly to me?

Water/wastewater utility bills are prepared in the property owner's name only; however, a property owner may request in writing to have a duplicate copy of the utility bill mailed to a tenant at the service address by using the New/Change/Cancel Account Form in the Documents list at right.