Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. East side - 2700 block of East Main St., in the Foxfield Commons Shopping Center (near Super Cuts) 

    

2. Downtown - City Hall/Municipal Building (2 E. Main St.) - Drop box located in the door at the southeast side of the Municipal Building   

    

3. Downtown - City Hall/Municipal Building - north Municipal parking lot - next to the USPS mailbox 

    

4. West side - 1515 W. Main Street - in the St. Charles Police Station parking lot 

    

To create an online profile, you will need the following information:

• City of St. Charles utility account number (Ex: 00123456-00)
• Email address
• Name (as it appears on the bill)

You can obtain your account number from a copy of your bill or by calling the Utility Billing office during business hours at (630)377-4426.

SAMPLE BILL:

• An online profile gives you the most payment options and provides you with more access to your utility/account information (please note a transaction fee does apply).
  • Schedule automatic payments each month.
  • Pay with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, PayPal, Venmo, or from your checking account (eCheck).
  • Convenience of paying online from a computer or mobile device, such as a tablet or smartphone.
  • *Please note* ALL payments made using our online payment processor or IVR (interactive voice response) phone number will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction. There is a payment limit of $5,000 per transaction.
  • Manage multiple accounts from a single log-in.
  • You can view, download, or print copies of your utility bill.
  • You can view your transaction history and utility usage history.
  • You can enroll in e-billing to receive an email notification to let you know when your bill is ready and when a payment has been received.

How can I pay my City utility bill?

• Online: Setting up an online account gives you access to the most payment options.
• Pay by Phone: Call the 24-hour toll-free number: (833) 425-1113.
  • You will need your utility account number located on your utility bill.
  • *Please note* ALL payments done using our payment processor SILVERBLAZE will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction.
• Auto Pay: The City offers automatic payments with a savings or checking account (no transaction fees apply with City Auto Pay).
• In-Person: You may pay in-person during business hours at the Utility Billing office with cash, check, or money order.
• Mail: You may mail payments via check to our lockbox (please include the bill stub with your payment):

CITY OF ST CHARLES

PO BOX 6021

CAROL STREAM IL 60197-6021

• Drop Box: The City offers four convenient locations for you to drop off your electric, water or sewer bill payments. For your security, all cash payments should be made inside the Municipal Building in the Utility Billing office.

Utility bill payments received after the due date will incur a penalty. Please contact us at (630)377-4426, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with any questions.

I just moved to a home in St. Charles. What do I need to create a profile for online bill pay?

As a first-time bill payer, you can create an online utility account after you receive your first paper bill in the mail. Once you receive your first bill, you will be able to go to our website and create your profile to enroll in paperless billing, pay your bill online, and more. ALL payments made using our online payment processor or IVR (interactive voice response) phone number will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction.

How do I set up automatic payments?

The City of St. Charles offers two different options for automatic payment:

1. Auto Pay through the City - Checking or Savings Account: To pay your utility bill through ACH without a fee, please complete the online enrollment form. Within five business days AFTER submitting the request form, you will receive an email confirming that the automatic payment has been set up. You will continue to receive a monthly bill via mail or email letting you know the amount to be deducted on your due date. If the due date is a weekend or holiday the withdrawal will take place the next business day. If, for any reason, the City receives notification of an invalid automatic withdrawal, the unsuccessful transaction it will be treated the same as a check returned unpaid by the bank and additional fees will assessed.
2. Auto Pay – Debit/Credit Card, eCheck, etc.: To pay your utility bill using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or eCheck, you must first create an online utility account with SilverBlaze. You can then enroll your utility account in Auto Pay under the “Bills & Payment” tab. *Please note* ALL payments made using our payment processor will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction.

I Currently pay my utility bill from my checking account with Auto Pay established with the City. Do I have to set up an online utility account to continue?

No. The City will continue to process existing Auto Pay transactions that were set up using our “in-house” auto pay option. Though you have the option to create an online profile to enroll in “paperless billing” or to view utility usage and transaction history.

Please note, if you had previously set up Auto Payment online using the old online system, Paymentus (i.e. the system used before February 13th, 2024) you would need to create a new online profile to re-enroll in Auto Pay with a debit/credit card or eCheck.

*Please note* as a reminder, ALL payments made using our online payment processor will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction. Auto Pay that is established directly with the City’s “in-house” Auto Pay is not charged a fee.

I currently pay my utility bill with Auto Pay from my checking account. I want to change the form of payment to a credit card. Do I have to set up an online profile to do that?

Yes. To have access to the additional forms of automatic payments, you must create an online profile. *Please note* ALL payments made using our online payment processor will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction.

Please note your city established Auto Pay payment schedule will continue as a default payment method only if there is a balance due on your account on your due date. To avoid using this default Auto Pay, please:

1. Pay your account balance through the online customer portal (or other means such as in person or through mail) prior to your due date.
2. Contact the City Utility Billing office at 630.377.4426 or utilitybilling@stcharlesil.gov to cancel your existing Auto Pay schedule prior to your due date.

Are there any payment fees for utility bill payments:

ALL payments made using our online payment processor or IVR (interactive voice response) phone number will be charged a $3.95 fee per transaction. Other fees that could be assessed include:

• Late payments: 10% of the current balance due
• Payment returned for any reason: $20

Can I cancel or make any changes to my payment?

No, once you have authorized a payment and received confirmation, you will need to contact your financial institution to cancel the payment. This may be subject to additional fees.

Can I make a payment/schedule a payment after my due date?

Yes, however your account is subject to a 10% penalty on the current balance due.

Can I make same-day payments?

Payments made prior to noon Central time on a business day will be credited the same business day.

How does the charge appear on my statement?

The payment will appear as "CITY OF ST.CHARLES 630-377-4426 IL" on your bank or credit card statement.

How often is my utility account balance updated online?

Account balances are updated once per day. Payments made before noon will be reflected on your online account site within 24 hours. Payments made after noon will be reflected within 48 hours.

Is there a limit to how much I can pay per transaction?

Customers can pay up to $5,000 per transaction using the online customer portal.

Is there a Penalty for Late Payment of my Utility Bill?

There is a 10% late fee on current charges for bills not paid by the due date. We will remove one late fee per year. Please contact Utility Billing at 630-377-4426 for removal of a fee. Please note, if the online customer portal is unavailable or you cannot complete your online payment, you are still responsible for timely payment of your City utility bill.

When will my online payment be credited to my utility account?

Payments made prior to noon Central time on a business day will be credited that same business day. Payments made after noon Central time will be credited the next business day.

Will I receive confirmation for my payment?

Yes. Online payments will receive a "Payment Confirmation" email and IVR (phone payments) will receive a verbal confirmation number once the payment has been accepted.

How can I save on energy costs?

About 60% of your total energy usage comes from heating and cooling; another 20% results from heating your water, and the other 20% comes from appliances and lighting. Try using the “Home Energy Advisor” to conduct a virtual energy assessment of your home and learn more about electric usage. You can save energy costs by following some of these familiar steps.

A. Turn off the lights when leaving the room, especially incandescent bulbs. The bulbs are only about 20% efficient. The rest of the energy is given off as heat. On the other hand, converting to modern compact florescent bulbs, which are lower in wattage and longer lasting, will conserve more energy.

B. Lower your gas furnace thermostat a couple of degrees from your normal setting. This could translate into a winter monthly cost savings in electricity as well as gas, since your gas “forced air” furnace still needs a fan connected to an electric motor to push the air throughout the house. For example, every degree you dial back on your thermostat can save 2-3% on heating.

C. As older appliances need replacement, purchase new appliances with higher efficiency ratings.

D. Reducing the temperature on the water heater down to its normal setting of about 110 – 120 degrees and insulating the heater will save energy.

E. Save over 50% of your water heater usage by taking a few minutes off your shower time and using the cold water setting on the clothes washer whenever possible; about 80% of the energy used to wash clothes is for heating the water.

F. Make sure your refrigerator setting is set at a reasonable temperature and not too cold. Recommended values per DOE (Department of Energy) would be in the range of 37 to 40 degrees for the fresh food compartment and about 5 degrees for the frozen food section.

G. Swimming pool pumps draw a substantial amount of current. One way to save energy is to reduce the running time of the pump. Realizing that circulating the pool water keeps the chemicals mixed and captures floating debris through the skimmer, a study was done recently in Florida involving 120 residential pools. One of the outcomes of the study was that most people who reduced the pumping time to around 3-4 hours per day, while still happy with the water’s quality, saw a 60% reduction in their electric bill in pump usage.

H. The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set the criteria for the Energy Star Label. Appliances having the energy star label are high-performance products, which should reduce operating cost of the appliance over the lifetime of the product. When shopping for an air conditioner, look for an EnergyGuide label with a high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). The higher the ratio, the more efficiently it operates. In regards to clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers, look for the EnergyGuide label that tells how much electricity in kWh (Kilowatt hours) these appliances will use in a year. The smaller the number, the more efficiently they work in using less electrical energy.

How much do I pay for electric, water and/or sewer services?

The charges for residential electric users can be found in Section 13.08.230 of the St. Charles Municipal Code.

The charges for residential sewer users can be found in Section 13.12.830 of the St. Charles Municipal Code.

The charges for residential water users can be found in Section 13.16.190 of the St. Charles Municipal Code.

Additional information about utility billing can be found in the Utility Information section of the City website.

Questions regarding grant of easement and access to public utilities.

Why is my utility bill (water, sewer, electric) so high?

Call 630-377-4426 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm) to speak with a utility service representative, with specific questions related to your utility bill. You may also email us at utilitybilling@stcharlesil.gov.