St. Petersburg to Restart Late Fees and Service Shut-Offs for Water Bills
St. Petersburg has announced the resumption of standard billing and collections procedures for utility bills, after a temporary pause was implemented following substantial increases in charges that affected numerous residents post-hurricane season. The spike in utility bills was attributed to various factors, including flooding, malfunctioning toilets, outdated mechanical meters, and damaged water pipes due to fallen trees. Despite these identified issues, officials have not provided a singular explanation for the adjustment of 12,180 bills between July and April.
According to the city’s Billing and Collections Director, Candice Winter, regular billing practices will begin again on June 1, with disconnections for unpaid bills resuming on July 1. St. Petersburg is recognized as the last municipality in Pinellas County to return to normal utility billing after the impacts of hurricanes Helene and Milton. Earlier this year, in response to community concerns regarding escalating bills, city officials suspended late fees and shut-offs. This policy was implemented to provide relief during the emergencies caused by Hurricane Helene.
Winter’s memo detailed that customers will be informed of these changes through their monthly statements and additional communication channels, urging those facing financial difficulties to inquire about payment plans to avoid interruption of services. A significant portion of the bill adjustments—6,172—was attributed to leaks on private properties, resulting in approximately .7 million in relief for affected customers.
Furthermore, issues related to meter overreading were responsible for the adjustment of an additional 5,236 bills. Since the City Council’s decision in March to revise city code for greater flexibility in addressing exaggerated bills, the staff has adjusted accounts for 50 homes affected by flooding, totaling nearly ,928. Additional provisions have been made for households that received utility readings three times higher than normal, necessitating potential meter replacements.
Approximately 75% of St. Petersburg’s 98,000 meters are older analog models that may be unreliable, leading the city to prioritize the replacement with digital meters. A comprehensive plan is in place to accelerate these updates by 2028. The city is also implementing a new system that will enable remote access to utility meters. This upgrade is expected to eliminate estimated and delayed billing, while providing customers with prompt notifications regarding consumption levels. Currently, there are 540 remote readers installed for drinking water and an additional 220 for reclaimed water usage.
In light of these developments, St. Petersburg continues to work towards improving its utility billing processes and delivering better service to its residents. The transition to modern technology for managing utility billing and other municipal services is well underway, with expected completion in early next year, as part of a strategic enhancement initiated by Mayor Ken Welch during his tenure.
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