Some Arvadans Can Expect Annual Utility Bill Surge

ARVADA, CO — The city of Arvada released information Friday about utility billing practices and changes that could mean higher bills for some residents.

City officials listed the following reasons for possible utility bill surges:

• Late summer water bills can show a big jump from the previous bill due to increased water use, which surprises some residents each year, city officials said. The city has posted water conservation tips here.
• Waste and Recycling Program fees started to appear on residents' utility bills in September. Due to the city's billing cycles, residents may notice their program fees do not match up with the monthly rates published by the city. "For example, Waste and Recycling fees on your September bill may reflect six weeks of service not eight weeks so your fees would appear lower on your initial bill," the city said in a news release.
• Arvadans who pay their utility bills through the city's online payment portal will see a difference between their paper bill and the amount due shown in the portal, where the prefilled amount under "amount due" shows utility charges that are not yet due. "The reason for the different amounts is due to the way waste and recycling fees are entered into the billing system. These fees are entered into the billing system as they occur, not as they are due for payment," the news release read. Residents are asked to pay the amounts shown on their bills, not the prefilled amounts in the portal. (Those who pay the prefilled amount will see a credit on their next bill.)

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"Utility rates for 2022 will be published as soon as they are available," the city's release read. "They are typically available by December each year. The City makes these rates available online and in the utility bill insert. 2022 rates will be reflected on January 2022 utility bills."

Residents with questions about their bills are asked to call Arvada Utilities Customer Service at 720-898-7070.