How to Read Your Bill

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Utility Billing Logo Banner Since your utility bill provides important information about your account, services, and water consumption, the City is providing this helpful, interactive “How to Read Your Bill.” You can also download a PDF-version of this page pdf to save or print for future reference.

To learn more about your bill, simply click on the numbers on the sample bill below to access the descriptions, or scroll down the page to read the descriptions of each section.

If you have more questions about your bill, please contact a Utility Billing customer service representative at 954-828-5150. For after-hours assistance, please contact the Customer Service Center at 954-828-8000 or online at www.fortlauderdale.gov/lauderserv.

1. Municipal Services Information

This section provides contact information for questions about your utility bill or services.

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2. Account Number

This is your new account number. Please make note of your new account number, as it changed when the City launched the new Utility Billing System.

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3. Bill Type

This shows your current bill type. If your account is active, it says Regular; if it has been closed, it may say Final.

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4. Due Date

This is the date your current bill is due. Payments made after this date are considered late.

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5. Amount Due

This lists the amount of your current charges, plus any past due charges.

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6. Billing Address

This is the address where your bills are sent.

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7. Period

This is the time frame for this month’s service charges.

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8. Days

This is how many days your current billing cycle includes.

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9. Previous Bill

This shows the total charge for the previous month’s bill.

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10. Payments

This reflects any payments that were received during this billing cycle.

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11. Adjustments

This lists any adjustments (i.e. credits due, prorated charges, etc.) made by the City that were applied to your current charges.

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12. Past Due

This displays any amount that was not paid by the time the billing cycle closed.

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13. Penalties

This includes late fees or other penalty fees that occurred during the current billing cycle.

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14. Charges

This lists all charges incurred for this billing cycle.

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15. Service Address

This is the address where your municipal services are provided. This address may be different than your billing address.

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16. Consumption Graph

The consumption graph displays water usage over a 12-month period to assist with water conservation efforts. There will be a separate water consumption graph for each meter billed to this account (i.e. water, irrigation).

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17. Description

This column provides an itemized list of all charges for this billing cycle.

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18. Meter/Dial

This column provides the serial identification number on your water meter(s).

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19. Previous

This column reflects the previous month’s meter read in thousands of gallons used.

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20. Current

This column reflects the current month’s meter read in thousands of gallons used.

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21. Usage

This column displays the amount of water used since the last meter read in thousands of gallons.

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22. Amount

This column shows the individual breakdown of service charges.

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23. Water-WSC-Water Meter/Irrigation ICI-Water Meter

This is the size of your meter, water and/or irrigation, plus the type of service. This fee is based on the amount of water used that passes through the meter. This fee may fluctuate each month depending on the amount of water used.

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24. Base Charges (Water and/or Irrigation)

This represents fixed service charges that offset operating costs.

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25. Utility Tax (Water and/or Irrigation)

This amount equals 10 percent of consumption (23) and base charges (24). For example, water consumption for this sample bill is $20.32 and the water base charge is $12.59, totaling $32.91. The water utility tax equals $3.29, which is 10 percent of $32.91.

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26. Stormwater

This is a fee mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency for stormwater management.

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27. Sanitation Single Family 1 Cart

Monthly sanitation charges are fixed based on the number of carts and type of service, (i.e., single family, multi-unit or commercial). The fees built into your monthly sanitation charges provide for maintaining sanitation collection and service, including common areas. The fees also include the costs of garbage disposal at the Broward County Landfill and the federally mandated fee for cleanup of the Wingate Landfill.

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28. Sewer Non-Metered

This represents the sewer charges, which are determined by water usage and the sewer base charge. Sewer charges are billed based on the number of gallons of water that pass through the water meter. This fee may fluctuate each month depending on the amount of water used.

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29. Scheduled Termination Date

This is the date services will be disconnected if no payment is made on the account. This does not apply to customers who have made a payment before the bill due date.

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30. Bill Date

This is the day the billing system generated your bill.

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31. Payment Address

This is the address where utility payments should be sent. Municipal Service bills may also be paid online. In addition, customers may also sign up for paperless e-billing. For more information, visit www.fortlauderdale.gov/utilitybilling or contact a Utility Billing customer service representative at 954-828-5150. For after-hours assistance, please contact the 24-Hour Customer Service Center at 954-828-8000.

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