2.  Why aren’t there reduced rates for senior citizens? Lower income customers?
Senior citizens can receive a reduced rate for refuse determined by Craven County Government based on income and age. Contact Public Works at 252-639-7501 for more info.  Although the City does not provide reduced rates for lower income households, it will allow customers to make reasonable short- term payment plans for past due bills on an occasional basis.  Pay plans are a privilege and will be granted upon a customer’s ability to pay, in addition to a customer’s history of abiding to agreements in the past.  The City works with a number of public and private organizations that help customers pay their utility bills.  Please refer to a Credit Representative or a Customer Service Representative at 252-639-2750 for further information.

3.  Am I inside or outside the City limits and how is that determined?
Legislature designates City boundaries as approved by the Aldermen, which are elected by the citizens.

4.  Why does the City charge deposits?
Payment for utility service is collected after it has been provided.  Deposits are collected as security so that all bills will be paid in full by their due date.  Although most customers pay their bills in full and on time, the requirement of deposits protects good-paying customers from the detriment of uncollectible accounts by other customers.

5.  Why do I need a copy of my lease or sales agreement to get service?
The requirement of a lease or sales agreement protects good-paying customers from the detriment of fraudulent accounts being established that are uncollectible. An inhabitant of the dwelling must live at the location to have their name on the account.  Landlords may have the account in their name if the residence is vacant.

6.  Is a budget plan for utility bills available?
Yes.   The Budget Billing / Equal Payments Plan helps residential customers eliminate billing swings due to higher usage during the heating and cooling seasons.   The plan brings your highest bills down and your lowest bills up to the same amount each month by averaging your bills over the last 12 months.   Please refer to Customer Service at 252-639-2750 for more information.

7.  Where do I get gas, water, sewer and electric service if not provided by the City?
There are different providers of these services throughout the area depending on where an individual resides.  Craven County Chamber of Commerce supplies a listing of the providers and can be contacted at 252-637-3111.

8.  What will it cost me to get service?
There are many different variables involved in this question regarding type(s) of service, new or transfer of service, deposit required etc.  Please contact a Customer Service Representative at 252-639-2750 who can best answer this question for you.

9.  What is my bill? When is it due? How do I change my address, start or end service, pay by credit card?
Please contact a Customer Service Representative at 252-639-2750 who can best answer this question for you.

10.  Why am I being billed for water/sewer/electric/refuse when I haven’t had any usage?
The bill includes charges for availability of the services.  Meters still need to be read and the services are in place ready for customers to use.  Refuse trucks visit all locations with active accounts each week, regardless if you put your trash cart out.

11.  Why does the City have tap fees?
The City collects tap fees to offset a portion of the capital expense of building the infrastructure of the systems.  The water system has five wells, four elevated storage tanks, two ground storage tanks, one booster pump station in addition to over 200 miles of pipe in the ground as well as over 12,000 water meters.

12.  Why does sewer service cost more than water service?
Sewer requires the wastewater to be processed and the sludge (grit and solids) to be removed and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.  Water is less expensive because it requires less treatment.

13.  What kinds of trash can I put out?
Please click here for this information.

14.  How do I get a trash can? Recycling bin?
Please contact Public Works at 252-639-7501.  Allow one week for delivery.

15.  How can I be using so much service when I’m not home all day?
Energy is still used to heat and cool an empty building.  The building could be poorly insulated.  Adjusting thermostats more than 3 degrees at a time can cause heat strips to run unnecessarily which can result in an unusually high bill.   Using an appliance (electric stove) to heat the building not designed for that purpose contributes to high bills and is very unsafe.

16.  What are your electric rates? When was the last time they went up?
Last rate increase was January 2006.

Residential rates - single family residence

Basic customer charge - 8.10

.0951 cents/kWh first 300

.1112 cents/kWh over 300

.01000 cents/kWh Energy Rider

Energy efficient homes may qualify for a 5% discount. Call the Billing office at 252-639-2814 for more information.

1200 kWh usage for one month — cost/month electricity is $148.71 + tax

17.  How often do you estimate bills rather than reading the meter?
Bills are seldom estimated unless staff can’t get to the meters.  For example, access is sometimes limited because of dogs, fences, or a car parked on a water meter lid.  You can always request that your meter be read again, free of charge. The City tries to read each meter every month.

18.  How can I get an energy-efficiency discount on my residential bill?
The residential appliance rebate program is for customers replacing heat pumps and water heaters with new energy-efficient electric appliances.  A $400 rebate credit is offered per central heat pump (minimum 12 SEER rating and at least one ton) for replacement units.  A $150 rebate credit is offered per high efficiency water heater (minimum 0.91 energy factor) for replacement units.  Load management switches must be installed on these appliances.  Customers must request a rebate credit for installing the energy-efficient heat pumps and water heaters.  Contact Electric Utilities at 252-639-2825 for more information.

After inspection and rebate form approval by Electric Utilities, the rebate credit will be applied to the customer’s electric account.  If the customer requests that the switches be removed within two years of the date that the rebate credit is issued, then the full amount of the rebate credit will be charged back to the customer’s electric account.  The customer becomes ineligible to receive the 5% energy efficient construction rate since the cost of service is higher to non-load management customers.

Switch removal after two years but within four years:  one-half of the rebate credit charged back to the customer’s electric account, and the customer becomes ineligible to receive the 5% energy efficient construction rate.

Switch removal afer four years:  none of the rebate credit will be charged back to the customer’s electric account, but they will become ineligible to receive the 5% energy efficient construction rate.

19.  How can I get my electric bill lower?
See suggestions below on “26 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill”.

 

26 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill

Air Conditioning:

1. When at home, set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher.

2. When away for a few days or longer, set it higher still; 85 degrees is suggested.

3. Provide shading for the unit’s condenser.

House :

4. Use exterior devices (awnings, patio covers, etc.) and trees for shade.   If you have a gas furnace, turn off the pilot light until the late fall.

5. Close vents in rooms that don’t need cooling.

6. Close blinds and drapes during daylight hours.

7. When you use the dryer, dry only full loads; preferably, dry clothes outside.

Insulation:

8. Cut costs up to 25 % by installing proper ceiling and attic insulation.

9. Insulate walls and floors. Doing so will keep cool air from escaping.

10. Caulk and weather-strip doors, window, pipes, and ducts.

11. Seal off electric receptacles and switch boxes with foam or fiberglass gaskets.

12. Install storm or thermal windows which keep cool air inside.

13. Repair any holes in the roof, walls, doors, ceilings, windows, and floors.

Water:

14. Set your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees or 140 degrees for a dishwasher.

15. Install low-flow shower heads and faucets.

16. Use cold water in your washing machine and wash only full loads.

What power costs:

Kitchen:

Refrigerator: $10-22/mo; freezer: $15-30/mo.; electric oven: 30-60 cents/hr.; electric range top burner: 7-30 cents/hr.; microwave: 6-18 cents/hr.

Lighting:

Incandescent bulb (100 watts): 1 cent/hr.: fluorescent bulb (equivalent): 1 cent/four hrs.

Heating/cooling:

Electric fan: 1-7/cents/hr.; window air conditioner: 9-28 cents/hr.; central air conditioner: 48-66 cents/hr.; electric heating: $35-$400/mo.; portable electric heater: 9-18 cents/hr.; water heater: $20-$70/mo. (electric)

Other:

Washing machine: 3-23 cents/load; dryer: 30-60 cents/load; vacuum: 5-9 cents/hr.; hair dryer: 1-5 cents/five minutes; TV: 1-5 cents/hr.; stereo: 1-3 cents/hr.

17. Wrap your water heater with a water blanket (sold at home improvement stores).

Refrigerator/Freezer:

18. Open doors only when necessary.

19. Keep coils on back and bottom clean.

20. Unplug your extra refrigerator if it’s used mainly for occasional drinks and ice cubes.  (This one action could reduce your annual energy bill by $175.)

Cooking:

21. Don’t preheat your oven and use the smaller of the two ovens if you have a dual unit.  Cook complete meals of several dishes simultaneously in the oven.

22. Cook on range-top burners when practical instead of in the oven.

23. Use your microwave for reheating and cooking small quantities of food.

Lighting:

24. Use dimmer switches or timers.

25. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent ones.  They can give the same quality and quantity of light while using one-third the energy, and they last 10 times longer.