Monthly Rates – Fees As of July 1st, 2023
Water
Ready to Serve $ 9.61
Consumption (per 1000 gal used) $ 4.04
Sewer
Ready to Serve $ 23.66
Consumption (per 1000 gal used) $ 5.17
Garbage/Recycling $ 12.67
The ready to serve component is charged to all customers regardless of the amount of water used. There is a fee of $50.00 when water needs to be turned on. Payments can be made at the City Offices (in person, over the phone or drop box), via U.S. mail or at Old National Bank in the Village.
Billing Practices
Water, sewer and garbage bills are mailed to all accounts via first class mail at the end of the month for the previous month’s usage. Meters for the inside usage are read electronically, therefore, the charges for each month are based on actual usage.
Outside Meters
Outside or “second” meters installed to measure outside use that does not utilize the sanitary sewer systems. These meters are billed once during the calendar year in the month of June. An additional $12 annual administrative fee is charged.
Special Circumstances
Residents who do not have an outside meter and have a once per year large water usage that does not impact the sanitary sewer system (i.e. filling a swimming pool) need to contact the City as soon as possible for a special sewer usage billing reduction to be determined by the utility administrator.
Delinquent water utility bills stay with the property. MCL 141.121 allows the City to shut off utilities, charge delinquent bills to the premise (property) and even to place a lien against the property to collect unpaid utility bills. Michigan laws were set up this way to assure municipalities like Manchester City are able to finance water, sewer for their residents. Most municipal services are financed by selling bonds or by borrowing money. A municipality’s ability to repay its debt is by the revenue they receive from selling water, sewer services. To make sure the community would have enough revenue to repay its debt, the laws were written to indicate the ‘premise’ (property) was the customer, not the person. This way, no one could ‘skip out’ on paying their bill and deprive the municipality of revenue. The property owner is ultimately held accountable for the payment on any delinquent outstanding bills. State Law MCL 141.121(3) allows delinquent bills to be placed as a lien on the property and collected with the property tax bills and payments.
