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Utilities

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1. Where is the City Administration Office?

The City Administration Office is located at 3100 Belmont Boulevard in West Richland.

The building is located on the corner of Keene and Belmont, next to the new Libby Middle School.

2. What if I am late paying my bill?

Past due notices are mailed to property owners and account holders. You will be sent a late notice on or around the 26th of the month reminding you of the payment that was due. A late fee will also be applied to your account.

You will have until the 10th of the month to pay your past due amount and late fee. If the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date will extend to the end of the next business day.

This notice will be the only one you receive reminding you of your payment that was due and of your requirement to pay by the 10th.

If we do not receive payment by the 10th, your water service will be terminated and a disconnection and reconnection fee will be added to your account. If you would like to have your water service restored, you will need to pay the entire past-due amount plus the disconnection fee and a reconnection fee. The amount of the reconnection fee varies based on the time of day that service is requested to be restored.

Failure to pay your bill can subject you to additional late fees, disconnection and reconnection fees, and/or placement of a lien on the property in accordance with WRMC 13.90.040 through 13.90.130. Unpaid bills may be turned over to a collection agency for further processing.

3. What if I am unable to pay my bill by the due date?

We offer up to two payment deferrals each calendar year.

Deferral requests must be received by the end of the day on the date payment is due.

If you are a tenant, your request must also be signed by the owner of the property. Deferral requests will not be granted if you failed to abide by a previous payment deferral and/or if the application is incomplete.

There is a fee of 10% of the total balance due up to a maximum of $20 to defer a payment. This fee will be added to your balance due.

The deferred balance must be paid in full by the 15th day of the next month after the original due date.

Contact the Utility Billing Department by email or call 509-967-3431 for more information.

Use the application for Deferred Payment (PDF).

We can only enter into a deferred payment arrangement with those who are listed on the account.

4. Can someone who is not on my account make a payment on my account?

Payment can be accepted for an account from someone who is not listed on the account. The City will be unable to discuss any of the account or bill details with that person, however.

5. Who can the city discuss my account with?

The City will only discuss your account with those who are listed on the account and the property owner if you are renting.

To have someone listed on your account, you need to fill out and sign the Application for Utility Service and come in with your ID. Please bring the completed and signed form to the City Administration Office Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am and noon and 1 pm and 5 pm.

If you would like the person(s) to appear on the utility bill or listed as a person to discuss the account with, they will need to appear in person at the City Administration Offices to have their identity verified.

Only those listed on the account can authorize changes in services, discontinuation of services, deferred payment arrangements, etc.

6. My water service has been shutoff, how do I get it turned back on?

If your water service has been shut off for non-payment, you will need to pay all of your past due balance plus all applicable fees, which are a late fee, a disconnection fee, and a reconnection fee, before service will be restored.

The total amount of fees will either be $75 or $105 depending on when you contact the City. If you contact us and make a successful payment by 3 pm, your fees will be $75. If it is after 3 pm, your total fees will be $105. These fees are in addition to the past due billed charges. Please contact the City by calling Utility Billing at 509-967-3431.

Once the City has confirmation that the past due balance plus all applicable fees have been paid, water will be restored.

If you are unable to contact the City during business hours (up to 5 pm), please call 509-967-3431 and you will be forwarded to the Dispatch Center who will dispatch your water turn on request. Please do not attempt to give your payment to the employee who is turning on your water. Payments for after-hours turn on are due to Utility Billing by 10 am the next business day. If payment is not received by 10 am, your water will be disconnected again and all applicable fees will be charged.

If the water has been off for longer than one week, you or someone residing in the property will need to be there when water is reconnected to ensure the water pressures back up correctly. If it is been off for less than a week, you do not need to be there, however, if when the meter is turned on it is spinning and no one is at home, the water will be turned off again until you can be contacted. A spinning meter can indicate a leak somewhere in the system so as a courtesy to you if there is an indication of a leak we will not leave the water on until you can be contacted. There are no additional disconnection or reconnection fees if a meter is turned back off when a leak may be suspected.

Please note, the City will never call you and threaten you with shutting your water off and demanding immediate payment and/or personal information over the phone. If you receive a call like this, please do not give out any personal information to the caller.

7. What happens if I don’t pay my utility bill?

If you have water service, your service will be disconnected until you make your payment and pay any/all applicable fees.

If service has been disconnected and you do not restore service, your past due balance may be sent to a collection agency for further collection efforts. Additionally, the City may put a utility lien on your property.

For other services, your service may be discontinued or disconnected until you make your payment and pay any/all applicable fees.

Unpaid utility bills may be sent to a collection agency for further collection efforts. Additionally, the City may put a utility lien on your property.

Please note, the City will never call you and threaten you with shutting your water off or discontinuing your service, and demanding immediate payment and/or personal information over the phone. If you receive a call like this, please do not give out any personal information to the caller.

8. How do I pay the same amount each month?

We are pleased to offer our LevelPay Program for our residential customers. This calculates a twelve-month average based on your previous billing and consumption history. This average is a fixed amount that you will be billed for through December 31st of the year. In January, your average will be recalculated to become your new fixed amount for the calendar year. A recalculation could occur anytime, however, if the City deems it necessary.

If during the recalculation process, it is found that in the previous fixed payment you underpaid or overpaid for your actual use during that period, the amount of under or overpayment will become a part of the new fixed amount for the next calendar year. Exceptions apply if the over or underpaid amount is greater than $300.

If you do not have a full twelve months of history available for calculating your fixed amount, we can use the history of a previous occupant; however, an additional 15% will be added to the water portion of the calculation. To be eligible for LevelPay, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a residential customer.
• Your account balance must be paid in full prior to enrollment.
• You must have an account history that is free of late payments and/or service terminations in the previous twelve-month period.

If you do not meet any of the eligibility requirements above, you may submit a written request to the City at utilities@westrichland.org, by mail, in person, or in the night drop to have your eligibility reconsidered.

To enroll in LevelPay, please fill out the LevelPay Enrollment Form (PDF).

Applications received prior to the 21st of the month will be effective for the next bill cycle. Those received after the 21st will not be effective until the following bill cycle. For example, a LevelPay Enrollment Application received on 8/21 will be effective for the bills that go out at the end of August. If the application is received on 8/22, LevelPay will be effective for the bills that go out at the end of September.

You can remove yourself from the LevelPay at any time. You may contact the City by email or call 509-967-3431 to make this request. A calculation will be performed to determine how much, if any, you over or underpaid during the period. Any overpayments will be refunded to you. Any underpayments will be added to your account and due with your next utility bill. Exceptions apply if the underpayment is greater than $300.

You must still abide by the payment due dates effective for any utility bill while enrolled in LevelPay. Failure to abide by the due dates can subject you to additional late payment fees and/or disconnection and reconnection fees, if applicable. The City reserves the right to remove you from the program if you have one or more late payments and/or service terminations while you are enrolled in LevelPay.

We can only accept these applications from those who are listed on the account.

9. Are there any discounts available on my utility rates?

The City offers a low-income senior discount and low-income disabled rate for customers who qualify.

Please click on the appropriate link for information on how to apply for these discounts.

• Low Income Senior, Account is in Landlords Name (PDF)
• Low Income Disabled, Account is in Landlords Name (PDF)
• Low Income Senior, Account is in Your Name (PDF)
• Low Income Disabled, Account is in Your Name (PDF)

Your discount will be effective beginning the next billing cycle after your application is approved and will remain in effect for the calendar year. Your eligibility must be re-verified each year by April 15th.

10. What are Cross Connections and BackFlow testing?

Cross connections are any potential for the contamination of the City water supply due to the backflow of contaminated water into the pipes which feed into the house or come from the City's water mains.

A common type of backflow that can occur is from an irrigation system.

In accordance with State law, backflow prevention assemblies are required to be installed on any irrigation systems that are connected to City water. Additionally, those backflow prevention assemblies are required to be tested annually.

The City employs a Cross Connection Specialist that will send a postcard reminder the month before your test is due. You will need to hire a certified tester to complete the test and have the test results sent to the City by the due date.

The City maintains a listing of certified testers if you are unsure of who to use.

It is important to complete the test by the due date. Failure to do so may result in termination of your water service until the test is completed and the results are received by the City.

For more information, please see our Cross Connection Information (PDF), a list of certified backflow testers as well Departments/Public Works/Cross-Connection Control Program. You may also call the City's Cross Connection Specialist, Brandon Dawkins, at 509-967-5434 with any questions you may have.

11. What do I do if my water consumption seems high?

The first thing to do is to perform some self-checks:

• Turn off all your appliances. Shine a flashlight inside your meter. If it is still spinning you may have a leak somewhere.
• Check for leaks in your irrigation system. Manually run your sprinklers to see if all are running properly.
• Have you recently filled a hot tub or a pool?
• Did you have anyone staying with you during the billing period?
• Do you have a dripping faucet? See Water Leaks and Conservation (PDF)
• Look at the meter read dates on your bill. Are there more read days in this month's bill?

If none of the above seems to be the culprit, please call 509-967-3431 to explore your options.

12. Can I have my services turned off while I am away from home?

You can request to have your Water, Sewer, and Garbage service discontinued for a short period of time.

Please fill out and sign the Temporary Discontinue/Restart Application (PDF) and provide it to the Utility Billing Department.

You can send the completed and signed application to the Utility Billing department by mail, by night drop, or in person at the City Administration Office. The Administration Office is open between the hours of 8 am and noon and 1 pm through 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

If you are mailing the request form please do so at least ten days prior so that it will be delivered within two days of your desired disconnection date.

You can specify a reconnection date at the time you are completing the Temporary Disconnect-Request or at another time.

There are fees to temporarily disconnect and reconnect your services. Please review the Applicable Fees section of the Temporary Disconnection Request for a complete listing of the fees and the circumstances in which they apply. All applicable fees must be paid with the application. If you are mailing or delivering your application in the night drop, please include your payment (no cash please) with your request. If you are unsure of the total fee amount, please call 509-967-3431.

We can only honor these requests from those who are listed on the utility account.

Please do not attempt to turn your meter off and on. Meters are City property and tampering with them is subject to criminal and/or civil penalties.

13. Can I have my water temporarily disconnected to make a repair?

Please fill out and sign the Temporary Turn Off For Inspection (PDF) and provide it to the Utility Billing Department within two days of when you need to make your repair. Exceptions may apply if this is an emergency repair.

You can send the completed and signed application to the Utility Billing department by mail, by night drop, or in person at the City Administration Offices. The Administration Offices are open between the hours of 8 am and noon and 1 pm through 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

If you are mailing please do so at least ten days prior so that it will be delivered within two days of your desired disconnection date.

You can specify a reconnection date at the time you are completing the Temporary Disconnect-Request or at another time.

There are fees to temporarily disconnect and reconnect your services. Please review the Applicable Fees section of the Temporary Disconnection Request for a complete listing of the fees and the circumstances in which they apply. All applicable fees must be paid with the application. If you are mailing or delivering your application in the night drop, please include your payment (no cash please) with your request. If you are unsure of the total fee amount, please call 509-967-3431.

We can only honor these requests from those who are listed on the utility account.

Please do not attempt to turn your meter off and on. Meters are City property and tampering with them is subject to criminal and/or civil penalties.

14. What day is my garbage picked up?

Please see Garbage Pickup Map (PDF) for a map of garbage service by street. Each delivery day is color-coded. Once you find your street or the vicinity of your street and the color zone that it is in, you will be able to determine which day your garbage will be picked up. If you are having trouble finding your pickup day, please email the Utilities Department.

15. Will my garbage be picked up on a holiday?

Yes, please have your garbage can(s) at the curb by 6 am to ensure it is available when the garbage truck arrives for pickup.

16. Why was my garbage not picked up?

The most common reason your garbage was not picked up is because your can was not available when the garbage truck came by. Please have your can at the curb by 6 am on your scheduled pickup day to ensure it will be picked up.

If you ensure that it is out by 6 am on your next scheduled pickup day and your garbage is still not picked up, please email the Utilities Department.

If your garbage was not picked up on your scheduled pickup day and it cannot wait until your next scheduled pickup day, please contact Basin Disposal at 509-547-2476 to schedule a pickup. There will most likely be a fee for the out-of-schedule pickup.

17. I would like to have another garbage can(s), how do I get one?

Please fill out a Garbage Can Request Form (PDF) and return it to the Utilities Department by email. There is a delivery fee to bring out the additional cans and your monthly service fee will increase by a small amount. Deliveries of additional cans occur on Mondays and Thursdays of each week. You will be advised of the delivery date when you make your request.

If you have not received your additional can(s) by the stated delivery date, please contact the Utility Billing department by email.

18. What do I do if I have not yet received the garbage can I ordered or the can I was told was going to be delivered to me when I set up my service?

You may not have received your can yet for one of the following reasons:

• Your request may not have been received in time to get on the garbage delivery report for the next delivery date. For example, for Monday deliveries, the report has to be provided on the prior Friday. If you made your request late in the day on Friday, the report may have already been sent to the garbage company. Check for delivery on Thursday. If you don't receive your can(s), please email the Utilities Department.
• If an exchange of cans was going to occur, they can be exchanged may not have been out on the street for the garbage company to make the exchange. Please email the Utilities Department. 

19. Where should I put my garbage can(s) on garbage day?

Your can(s) should be placed on the curb (not on the sidewalk) with the lid opening toward the street. Please space garbage cans two feet apart so that the automated garbage trucks can access your cans easily.

20. Does the lid on my garbage can need to shut all the way?

The lid should close all or most of the way. Garbage may blow out or fall out on the street if your garbage can is too full.

21. Can I use my own garbage can?

Only garbage in the City issued garbage cans will be picked up.

22. How do I dispose of paint and other chemicals?

Please do not put these in your garbage can. Please visit the Basin Disposal website and click on the "Have Haz Waste" link.

23. What recycling options are available?

Please visit the Basin Disposal website and click on the "Recycle Learn How Click Here" link. Recycling drop boxes are located as follows within West Richland:

• 40th and Van Giesen St. - behind the gas station

24. What do I need to do to discontinue my service?

You can send your completed and signed Discontinue Form (PDF) request to the Utilities Department by email or by fax to 509-967-5706, mail, night drop, or in person at the City Administration Offices. The Administration Office is open between the hours of 8 am through noon and 1 pm through 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

If you are mailing, please do so at least ten days prior so that it will be received by the City within two days of your desired disconnection date.

A final bill will be sent to the forwarding address you provide on the request. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve you of your obligation to pay your final bill.

A discontinuation fee will be added to your final bill.

Please keep in mind that the City can only honor these requests by those persons who are listed on the utility account.

Please leave your garbage cans for the next occupant.

25. When will my irrigation service be turned on/off?

The specific dates for turn on and off are determined by the district which provides you services. You will need to contact them to get the specific dates.

For the City operated irrigation systems, service should be turned on sometime in April and off sometime in October. The specific date will be announced on the City's website.

The City does not provide sprinkler blowout services.

26. What if I have a sewer backup?

Please call the City as soon as possible at 509-967-3431 or 509-967-5434 to report the backup. The City will dispatch a crew to determine where the blockage occurred. If it is on the City main line, the blockage will be fixed and information on correcting any property damage will be provided.

The City cannot assist in clearing out non-City-owned sewer lines.

27. The owner of the property is deceased, what do I need to do?

Please call the Utility Billing Department at 509-967-3431 to discuss your options. Generally, you will need to provide a death certificate and proof of your authority to take action on this property (e.g. executorship).