City of Bend’s new utility software issues delay bills; penalties, water cut-offs suspended

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Hiccups with the city of Bend's new utility billing software have delayed bills to customers, which in turn prompted the city to suspend any late-payment penalties or water cut-offs that result.

Here's the city's posting on the issue:

City of Bend Utility bills are delayed in reaching customers due to a software conversion inconsistency. The software conversion created inconsistencies that delayed the generation and delivery of bills to customers by several days or weeks.

The issue is isolated to bill generation and delivery and does not affect the payment systems. All payments are being processed and reflected on customer accounts, regardless of the payment method. This includes automatic payments, drop-boxes located at City Hall and the Utility Billing office, phone or mail, and lobby drop-off.

We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and ask for your patience as we navigate this process. Our Utility staff continues to be available via phone or email to answer questions; however, please expect longer than usual wait times due to the volume of customers contacting us about this situation. Our lobby at 639 NW Franklin Avenue is open Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• What happened? While implementing a new Utility Billing software, the project team identified inconsistencies with customer utility bills that require action to produce accurate utility bills. In some cases, customers were impacted by multiple issues, including receiving their bill after the posted due date. Addressing these inconsistencies takes additional time to review and correct with vendors.

• When did it happen? Staff identified issues with the initial billing cycle shortly after the transition to the new software system in June. Efforts to address the inconsistencies did not fully resolve the issue. Work continues each billing cycle to identify inconsistencies and make corrections to provide accurate billing.

• When should I pay my bill? Customers should continue paying their utility bills within 30 days of receiving the bill. Accounts set up on auto payment will continue to process via autopay but will be received later than usual.

• Will there be a penalty for late payments? No, there will not be penalties for a late payment while we are correcting the inconsistencies.

• Will my water be terminated (shut-off) if I don’t pay by the date on the bill? No, we will not suspend water services due to these delays.

• How long will it take to fix the software problem? Our staff is actively working with the software vendor to rectify the situation. While we are unsure how long it will take to resolve these issues, we will continue reviewing the software and making corrections to provide accurate billing for our customers.

• What to expect in the coming months? We hope to have the inconsistencies completely resolve the situation in the next few months. We will provide regular updates at www.bendoregon.gov/utilitybilling.