Finance FAQ

1. When does the Town’s fiscal year begin?
The Town’s Fiscal Year begins July 1 and ends June 30.

2. What is the Town’s total budget?
The total budget for FY 13 is $85,565,621.

3. My water/sewer bill shows an increase in water consumption but I have not made any significant changes to my water usage. What is going on?
There are a few key things to check. First, look at the dates of the consumption. Did you have any visitors (family, college-aged children, etc) at your home during that time period? Even weekend guests can affect your utility consumption.

Second, do you irrigate your lawn, water outside plants, allow your children to play in the water using the garden hose, or wash your vehicles from your home’s water supply? These uses also affect your utility consumption.

Third, do you have a toilet that leaks or “hangs up?” Even a slow leak in a toilet can have a huge impact on your utility consumption. Test your toilet seals by turning off the water supply to your toilet, add some food coloring to the water in the tank at the back of the toilet and let the toilet sit for several hours (over night is preferable). If you find food coloring water in the bowl of the toilet, you have a leak. Repair kits are available at most home repair stores and are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

4. Why does sewer cost more than water?
Essentially, it costs more to clean the water and return it to our streams and rivers than it does to take it from our streams and rivers and make it potable (suitable for human consumption).

5. How does the Town determine water, sewer and tap fees?
The Town completes a “rate study” each fiscal year to review the rates and tap fees. The study compares the number of customers by type (commercial, residential, industrial) and the amount of water and sewer services used by each classification to the expenses required by the systems to serve the customers. Factored into the expenses are the costs of chemicals to treat the water and wastewater, the electricity to run the facilities, the payroll expenses of the employees, the replacement equipment and any new equipment to efficiently run the utility.

Also factored into the equation is the debt owed by the utility on capital expenditures. The Town has borrowed money to build new facilities and agreed to keep rates at certain levels in order to pay those debt payments. The Board of Commissioners reviews the “rate study” as a part of their annual budget deliberations and approves any changes to the fees at that time. They can make changes to fees at any Town Board meeting but prefer to set these fees only one time per year so that citizens can anticipate and budget for these expenditures.

6. Does the Town have a policy that exempts pool filling from sewer fees?
No. The Town cannot tell when you are filling a swimming pool, irrigating your lawn or otherwise using water. In some jurisdictions, where there is an abundance of swimming pools, utilities provide a staff member to monitor the filling of pools. Those communities pay for that staff member to come out and take a reading on the water meter before and after the pool is filled so that a manual calculation can be provided for billing purposes – exempting that usage from sewer charges. The Town of Mooresville does not have that level of staffing. We have three staff members who read over 13,000 meters each month, provide any re-checks that customers request when billing issues arise, audit the remotely-read metering devices, perform meter maintenance, and assist the line maintenance staff with their duties when time allows.

7. How can I make payments after-hours? Does the Town offer online bill pay?
Online bill payment for water/sewer accounts is available. To use this service, customers need their utility account number and customer identification number – both of which can be found on the face of your utility bill. Click here to pay your utility bill online. If you have problems making your online payment or want a customer service representative to assist you when making your online payment, call 704-663-3800 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday - Friday).

The Town also provides an after-hours drop box for payments outside Town Hall at 413 North Main Street. This secure box is located in the parking lot between Town Hall and Fire Station #1. Please do not place cash in this payment box.