Skip to Main Content

Utility Billing FAQ's

How do I figure out my Utility Bill?
Click HERE for an explanation of the charges you see on your bill.
  • Water has three components: a Service Charge, a Meter Charge and a Volume Charge based on consumption.  Added together they make up the total water charge that you see on your bill.
  • Wastewater (Sewer) has two components: a Service Charge and a Volume Charge.  Added together they make up the Wastewater charge that you see on your bill.
  • Storm is a flat amount per equivalent dwelling unit.
  • Fire Fee is a flat amount per residence.
  • Public Safety Fee is a flat amount per residence.
What is included in my "water" bill?
  • Your "water" bill is made up of more than just billing information and charges for water service.  The correct name is utility bill.  The City of Newberg provides water, wastewater and stormwater services to residences that are in the city, and for a few customers who live outside the city limits.
How can I reduce my water bill?
  • The less water you consume, the less your bill will be.  The Water Department has put together a number of ways to help you reduce your water consumption.  Click HERE for more information.
How does the City track my Wastewater use?
  • The City cannot track the volume of wastewater you discharge from your sinks, washers, showers and toilets.  Over the years, the City has come up with a way to account for the volume of wastewater you discharge in a fair and adequate manner.  It is called Winter Averaging.
What is "Winter Averaging"?
  • Since the City does not have a way to account for the amount of wastewater you discharge, the City has come up with a fair way to charge for wastewater system use.  The assumption for wastewater use is that during the winter months of December, January, February and March, your water use is confined to the inside of your residence.  All of this water eventually becomes wastewater and goes down the drains to the City wastewater treatment system.  During these months you are not watering your lawn, landscaping or garden, washing your car, or using increased amounts of water related to warmer weather activities.
  • The City has devised a way to figure your winter average.  Add up the water readings for December, January, February and March and divide by four (4), rounding up to the nearest 100 cubic feet.  Then for the rest of the year, this average value in cubic feet is used as the volume in your wastewater billing calculation.
What if the landlord gets the utility bill instead of the tenant?
  • For a variety of reasons, your landlord may get the utility bill instead of you.  Typically, apartments, housing complexes and home parks are served by one meter, so each resident would not see their respective water / wastewater use.
When I pay my City of Newberg Utility Bill, where does my money go?
  • Water portion - goes to the Water Fund to be used to pay for operating, maintenance, capital improvements and debt associated with water.
  • Sewer portion - goes to the Wastewater Fund to be used to pay for operating, maintenance, capital improvements and debt associated with sewer.
  • Storm portion - goes to the Storm Water Fund to be used to pay for operating, maintenance, capital improvements and debt associated with storm water.
  • Fire Fee - goes to a special reserve fund to pay for Fire rolling stock, such as fire engines, ambulances, incident command vehicles, etc. for the Fire Department.
  • Public Safety Fee - goes to a special fund to hire and maintain 3 new Police Officers.
Why do my rates increase?
  • Capital repair and improvement projects are necessary to:
  1. maintain and repair the facilities of our water and wastewater treatment plants
  2. upgrade inefficient processes to allow for long-term cost savings
  3. expand to accomodate growth
  • Cost of electricity and supplies have increased faster than past rate increases.
  • To include a small reserve so we don't have to take out debt for small repairs and emergencies.