What is the new billing system?
The new billing system is called Muni-Link and can be found at the following website www.muni-link.com . Muni-Link is a software development company whose products are designed specifically for municipal entities. Municipal entities are often water, sewer, electric, or gas utilities as well as townships, boroughs, or cities.
Why did you decide to change from the old billing system? Everything was working just fine!
The old billing system has become quite antiquated and the new billing system offers many more convenient features for the Authorities employee and for the customer. The two most frequent requests from customers were to provide a bill monthly and to allow for electronic payment. The Muni-Link billing system solves both of those requests.
For the Authorities employee, much of the old system required manual data entries. The new Muni-Link system will do many of the entries and calculations automatically. Further, the old system was no longer being supported with updates.
For the Authorities customer, they will now have access to an online customer billing portal. This portal will allow them to track their usage and to pay their bill electronically. Further, they will now receive a bill monthly which may help with budgeting purposes. The customer will be able to notice any volume irregularities in usage two months earlier. This prevents a three month leak and allows the customer to repair a break before two additional months of cost.
Do the changes made to the WMWA billing process affect all customers of the Authority?
These changes apply to all customers of the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority and customers of the Williamsport Sanitary Authority in the City of Williamsport, Loyalsock Township, and Woodward Township. Old Lycoming Township, Armstrong Township, and South Williamsport Borough sewer bills are not affected as they own, operate, and bill their own sewer systems.
Will the Authorities have additional costs going to monthly billing?
The Authorities will have some additional costs for postage and bill printing. We do expect a large number of people to switch to online, “paperless”, billing which will reduce mailings. We also expect staff efficiencies through the features offered by the new billing system.
What will the administrative charge cost?
There is a monthly fee of $3.33 for water and $3.33 for sewer. This amount is the quarterly fee divided by three.
I am an owner of a rental property and I want my tenant to receive the bill. Can I still have them be responsible for the account?
No. Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act, the owner of the property is ultimately responsible for the fees. The property owner may still assign the cost of utilities to the tenant through their lease agreement, however, the bill will be mailed to the property owner.
I am the owner of a rental property, how will this benefit me?
The owner will be able to track water and sewage charges on a monthly timeline. Previously, when bills arrived quarterly (every three months), a tenant could accrue six months of usage prior to the owner being advised of the unpaid charges. This would often lead to a large and unexpected bill for the property owner. Further, if there is a leak on the tenant line, it will be discovered two months earlier and save the property owner the lost water costs.
What if I am a tenant and my water is going to be shut off due to non-payment?
Generally, service to a property cannot be terminated without a 30-day written notice to tenants giving them the opportunity to assume utilities. More information regarding the Utility Service Tenants Rights Act can be found here.
Can I login to my account online to see bill details and pay my bill?
Yes, by registering at the online customer portal at wmwawsa.authoritypay.com.
How do I register at the online customer portal?
You can go to wmwawsa.authoritypay.com and create an account on the Customer Portal. Follow the directions on how to create an account and when you receive the registration confirmation window, make sure you activate your account within the time period required. Once your account is active you can view and print your bills (current & historic), usage history, make a onetime payment, or set your account for electronic billing and electronic payment.
I am a tenant of a rental property. Am I able to create a portal account to view my billing data?
Yes. You are able to create an account using your name, address, and tenant Customer Identification (CID) number. To receive your CID number please call the Authorities at 570-323-6148 or place a web based inquiry.
How can I sign up for an automatic payment?
The forms for automatic payment can be found at www.wmwa-wsa.org under the Customer Service and the Forms and Applications tabs.
If I was signed up for automatic payments do I need to re-apply?
We would recommend that you re-apply for automatic payments to ensure that we have your most current information to avoid any delays in processing your payment. A link to the automatic payment form can be found on our website at www.wmwa-wsa.org.
Can I pay with my debit/credit card?
Yes, you can pay with your debit/credit card on our website through our customer portal. We will also be accepting credit card payments on site at the offices located at 253 West Fourth Street, Williamsport. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
Credit Card Fees
- VISA/MasterCard/Discover/American Express 2.50% of the transaction
- Minimum Fee: $1.50
When will I get my next bill?
The WMWA-WSA will be transitioning from a quarterly billing cycle (a bill every 3 months) to a monthly billing cycle (a bill each month) beginning August 1, 2022. Depending on how recently you received your last bill, your next bill will be either a 1 month, 2 month, or 3 month bill, and then after the transition, all accounts will be billed monthly. This link is a map which shows which will allow you to determine your billing cycle.
Why does my bill look different?
The new billing system and printer generates a different looking bill. The Authorities have endeavored to retain the same information as previous bills, but it may be in a different format.
Why doesn’t the graph show my history?
The new billing system will compile your monthly usage. Since we are just starting monthly billing, it will be several months before the history is populated with data which will enable the customer to track trends in usage.
Why is the due date reduced from 30 days to 20 days?
Due to a shorter billing cycle we reduced the days from 30 days to 20 days to avoid billing overlap.