Paying your Bill

Are you moving? We need to know! Please complete the applicable form below at least 10 business days notice prior to your moving date to schedule a meter reading.

• Purchaser Utility Account Enrollment form 
• Utility Account Closure form  

Please review our Water/Wastewater Pamphlet for important information about your new utility account such as billing schedule, due dates, rates, and more!

Please be advised that utility accounts will not be eligible for transfer into a tenant's name. Utility accounts remain in the property owner's name. 

If you paid your bill via mobile banking, online, or at your bank on the day in which the amount was due, there is no guarantee that we received the payment that day as there is usually a 3-5 business day processing period, which means we would have received it late.

If you make your payment at your bank, please ensure the payment was applied to your utility account and not mistakenly against your property tax account or a previous utility account.  

If the water bill is still unpaid two weeks after the due date, we will issue you a reminder notice indicating the account is still overdue. If after 60 days after the due date, the account is still overdue, you will receive a secondary water reminder notice indicating the time frame you have before the amount is transferred onto your property taxes.

If your utility bill goes more than 60 days unpaid, the balance owing on your account can be transferred onto your property taxes as per By-Law #2021-099 (Water/Wastewater Billing & Collection Bylaw). This transfer will be accompanied by a $33.25 Administrative Fee.

The utility account remains in the property owner's name. As the responsibility for the utility ultimately remains with the property owner, the property owner will assume the utility account. It is up to the discretion of the property owner to forward the utility bill to the tenant if they wish. 

Who will have access to the utility account if the property is rented?

Tenanted property owners will have full access to the utility account, as the account remains in their name. We encourage property owners to enroll into our online Virtual Town Hall Portal to view both their utility account and property tax roll. Tenanted property owners will be able to receive the utility bill either by email, to which they could forward to their tenant, or delivered directly to the servicing address or a forwarding address. Tenants will not have access to information pertaining to the utility account.

Although each Town within New Tecumseth follows a different billing cycle, bills will always be issued at the end of your scheduled billing month, and bills always have a due date of the middle of the following month. Please refer to the chart below. 

What forms of payment do you accept?

The Town of New Tecumseth offers numerous ways to pay your utility bills. Currently, the only form of payment we do not accept is credit card payments. However, there are third party services online that provide this option.

Time Saving Measures

• Residents can sign up for a Pre-Authorized Payment Plan by filling out our Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Form, accompanied by a blank void cheque or pre-authorized debit information from your bank. Payments will automatically be withdrawn quarterly on the billing due date.

• Set up the Town of New Tecumseth Water and Wastewater as a payee through your online or mobile banking. Payments can be made by entering your Account Number. Please note, when entering your Account Number, the decimal place within your account number on your bill must be omitted to be accepted (i.e. 123456789.01 must be entered as 12345678901). Also note that payments made through online or mobile banking can take 3-5 business days for the Bank to process. To avoid interest charges, you should make your payment a few days in advance of the due date to ensure the Town receives funds by the due date.

• Pay at your Bank by bringing your bill to your banking institution and requesting a direct payment. If you hold multiple accounts, please verify the payment is applied to the correct account. On occasions, residents have accidently applied payments to their Property Tax Roll in error.

• Credit card payments are not accepted directly by the Town of New Tecumseth, however, Property Taxes and Utility bills can be paid online by credit card using third-party online bill payment service providers, such as Plastiq. These service providers may charge additional service fees, and restrictions on which types of accepted credit cards may apply. The Town of New Tecumseth receives only the amount inputted, not any additional fees added by the provider(s). Payments made through a service provider can take 3-5 business days to be received and then processed by the Town. The Town must receive all payments on the specified due date to avoid penalties and interest charges. This service is used at the resident’s discretion and the Town is not liable or responsible for any disputes or issues arising from the use of third-party online bill payment services. Please refer to the third-party’s website for terms and conditions of their service, charges, and payment processing times.

  Other Payment Options

• You can come into the Town Administrative Office located at 24 Tupper Street West in Alliston and pay your bill via cash, debit, or cheque.

• Post dated cheques can also be given in advance of the due date. Please ensure either the account number is recorded correctly on the cheque, or the tearaway portion of your bill is securely attached to insure payment to the proper account. 

• There are 3 secure drop boxes located within the Town of New Tecumseth where you can drop off payment in the form of cheques only. DO NOT PUT CASH INTO THE DROP BOX.

  • Town Administrative office located at 24 Tupper Street West in Alliston

  • Tottenham Recreational Centre located at 139 Queen Street North 

  • Joint Operations Centre located at 6558 8th Line in Beeton.

A penalty of 5% of the issued bill amount will be added to your account if payment is not received by the specified due date.

What are the Water/Wastewater rates?

Effective April 1st, 2024, water and wastewater rates will increase. The rate per cubic meter of water will increase from $2.54 to $2.92, and the rate per cubic meter of wastewater will increase from $2.54 to $2.76, for a combined rate of $5.68 per cubic meter. 

The amount of wastewater consumption is equal to the amount of water that is consumed. For example, if you consumed 15 cubic meters of water, you will be billed for 15 cubic meters of wastewater as well.

Learn more about Water/Wastewater User Rates in the Town of New Tecumseth and the Water and Wastewater Rate Study completed by Hemson consulting in January 2024.

Each new utility account with the Town is subject to an Activation Fee of $41.25 which will appear on your first utility bill. It is important to note that even if you held an active utility account with the Town before your move, each time a new account is opened for you at a different property, the $39.50 Activation Fee applies.

The Town’s obligation related to the provision of water ends at the curb stop. Internal plumbing issues occurring after the connection are the responsibility of the property owner. In most cases, the cause of a high bill can be traced back to the property’s plumbing, appliances, usage, etc. If the water meter is functioning properly, it is suggested that issues be addressed immediately, which could require the services of a professional to assess and remedy the situation. The Town City is not responsible for issues past the meter and all water passing through the meter shall be charged, whether used or wasted.

Several things can contribute to an increase in the utility bill. Remember, you may not always hear a water leak. Most leaks are silent and don’t necessarily make their presence known through puddles on the floor or “drip-drops” from the faucet. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but some of the most common water leaks are due to:

• faucets
• bathtubs and showers
• household humidifiers and water softeners
• appliances, including the dishwasher and washing machine
• automatic sprinkler systems
• swimming pools

But the culprit that truly takes the cake is the toilet. Toilet leaks are the most common cause of high water and wastewater bills. A silently leaking toilet could cost you more than $1,000 a year! Some toilet leaks are due to high water levels and problems with parts found inside the flush tank, such as the overflow tube, flapper valve, or plunger ball.

Toilet Test

You will require either food colouring or a dye tablet to execute this test.

1. Remove the tank lid from the toilet.
2. Add five drops of food colouring or a dye tablet to the tank.
3. Do not flush.
4. Wait five minutes.
5. If coloured water seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. The flapper valve may need to be realigned or replaced. If the bowl is clear, and all the coloured water remains in the tank, you do not have a leak.

 Although not all water meters look identical, the Town of New Tecumseth installs Sensus water meters into all of our residents’ homes. Currently the Town uses multiple versions of Sensus meters. Older homes may have meters with clock-like faces, whereas we are transitioning to install new digital meters into homes. Please see below for examples of both. To track your consumption, look at the reading on the meter at a set time of day, and then look at the reading at that same time the following day.

If you subtract the first reading from the second reading, it will give you your consumption for a 24-hour period. If you believe your water bill reflects above normal water usage and you want to check to see if your meter is working correctly, first start by turning off all faucets, hoses, icemakers, air conditioners, and any other fixtures that may use water. Record the reading on your water meter and then refrain from using any water over a series of hours. After several hours check your meter reading again. If the read has changed, you know you have a possible leak, if the read hasn’t changed, you know your meter is working correctly. Any problems that occur with your water meter should be brought to the attention of Water Operations Branch to have the meter inspected and repaired if necessary.

Knowing how and where to shut off your home’s main water supply is very important. Whether there’s a water emergency or a leak in your home, you may need to completely turn off your home’s water supply. Find the spot where water enters the home, and you will find the shutoff valve nearby. Keep in mind that even though you've now shut the main-line supply, there's still water in the water pipes within your home, so it's important to drain all the faucets until the water stops running.

Simple water conservation practices not only save money on your bill, but also help preserve our natural environment.

Helpful tips:

• A 5-minute shower can use over 100 litres of water. Replacing your showerhead with a low-flow or with a shut off valve can diminish your long shower usage.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
• Only water your lawn or garden when needed.
• Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater that can be used for watering gardens.
• Test your toilets monthly to make sure they aren’t leaking and check for outdoor leaks in pipes, hoses and faucets.
• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean your driveway and walkways and don't run the hose while washing your car.
• Practice filling your second sink a quarter of the way with clean water when washing dishes to rinse them rather than letting the water run.
• Never overfill the washing machine when doing a small load of laundry, set it to the proper load size to save water.