A utility account has a bill generated each month. All utility bills are due three weeks (21 days) from the billing date. Your billing date is always on a Friday and your bill will always have a Friday due date. If your balance is not paid by the due date, a late fee will be charged. If your balance remains unpaid, the account may be in danger of service interruption. 

Your utility bill is divided into multiple sections:

• Top Banner - The top of your bill will list your Account Number (highlighted in yellow), your Current Charges Due Date (date payment is required for the current bill) and Current Amount Due (amount of current bill). If there is a “CR” next to the Current Amount Due, this means the amount is a credit on your account and no payment is due. 

If you have a past due balance, the bill will also have Past Due Charges Due Date (last date to make a payment on past due balances or your service may be interrupted) and a Past Due Charges amount. These will be in bold, red text so they are easier to notice. 

• Billing Period - This area shows the Billing Date (date the bill came out) and the Due Date (date the bill payment is required). It also includes the Billing Period, which is the service date range for the bill. 

• Service Readings - This area provides the meter identification number for all meters at a property. Below the meter number will be the previous and current reading dates for that specific meter. 

• The # of Days will list the number of days between the reading dates, and the Previous Read and Current Read are the readings gathered for that specific meter. 
• The Usage in 1000 Gal column lists the usage you are being billed. Multiply this number by 1,000 to obtain your usage during that period. 
  • For example, if the column lists 3, that means you have used at least 3,000 gallons of water for that period.

• Billing Summary - This area shows the Previous Balance (your last bill amount), Payments (amount of payments received since your last bill), and Late Fees (amount of late fees charged since your last bill. 

The Balance Forward box will list your account balance at the time of billing. This box is also color coded. 

• If you have no previous balance, the box is gray. 

• If you have a credit balance, the box is green. 

• If you have a past due balance, the box will be red and include a warning with a Due By Date (last date to make a payment on past due balances or your service may be interrupted).

The Current Statement Service Charges is a breakdown of each service, fee, credit and tax that makes up your utility bill. It also includes the dollar amount charged for that service. 

 The Total Current Charges is the dollar amount for the current bill. The Total Amount Due is the total dollar amount of the current bill and any past due balance on your account.

•  Messages - This area will include messages or announcements from the City of Winter Haven to all of our customers. This may include notices about important deadlines, rate increases, or public meetings. 
• Payment Stub - This section is to be detached and returned if you are mailing your payment to the City of Winter Haven. This helps staff identify which utility account is being paid.

• Administrative Fee - This monthly fee recovers the cost of the maintenance and administration of your utility account.

• Garbage Service - This is for the garbage pickup completed by our Solid Waste department. If your bin is green, you are serviced by the City of Winter Haven and you are billed monthly. If your bin is gray, your garbage service is provided by Polk County and the cost is assessed on your property tax bill. 
• Irrigation Service - Irrigation meters are used for watering lawns or landscaping, usually through sprinkler systems. They may also supply water to an outdoor faucet that is not connected to the home or building. Because this water does not go into the sewer system, no sewer charges are applied to the irrigation meter usage.  
• PRWC Surcharge - This surcharge is used to construct and operate the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) water treatment and supply system. This fee is applied to every meter on the property (excluding Reuse Service) and is calculated based on the consumption of each meter.

Click here Version Options How to Read Your Utility Bill How do I read my utility bill?Headline for more information on the Polk Regional Water Cooperative. 

• Recycling Service - This is for the recycling pick up completed by our Solid Waste department. 
• Repair & Replace Charge - This charge helps fund repairs and replacements to the City’s aging water infrastructure. By upgrading pipes, meters, and equipment before they daily, the City is being proactive - reducing major breaks, service interruptions, and costly emergency repairs in the future. 
• Reuse Service - This is for any irrigation meters using reclaimed water. These meters use recycled, non-drinkable water and they are typically identified by their purple color.
• Sewer Service - Sewer charges apply only to properties that receive sewer service from the City of Winter Haven. Sewer usage is billed based on the amount of water used through the home’s main (potable/domestic) water meter. The gallons of water billed for indoor use are the same gallons billed for sewer service because that water flows through the City’s sewer system for treatment. Properties connected to a septic tank do not receive City sewer service and will not see a sewer charge on their bill. 
• Stormwater Maintenance - This fee is charged to all inside city residents and is used for maintaining our storm drain system, which helps prevent storm water runoff from causing flooding.