Independent U.S. water utility directory · 2026 edition
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Delinquency and service protection

Understand the shut-off process before it reaches your door

The safest time to ask about a past-due balance, payment arrangement, or hardship protection is before the final notice. This page translates the provider’s published rules into a practical checklist.

Notice and timing

How delinquency is handled

Grace period after the due date

NBU's public policy does not state a universal grace-day count. The bill shows the due date and last payment date; payment not received by the last date shown subjects the account to late charges and, if still unpaid, disconnection. AutoDraft on the actual due date is marketed as a way to avoid late fees. Customers should treat the printed date and NBU's policy as controlling.

Late-fee calculation

NBU's Service Conditions Policy states that a late charge is assessed when the amount due is not received by a Customer Service Representative by the due date, and late charges can apply to utility service fees and other billed charges. The public 2026 payment pages do not state the percentage or fixed amount of the late charge. Budget Billing with AutoDraft avoids late fees when paid on the due date; two insufficient-funds notices can remove a customer from Budget Billing for one year.

Disconnection timeline

NBU ordinance language states that if the full amount due is not paid by the last payment date on the billing statement, the customer is subject to disconnection; reconnection or processing fees then apply under NBU policy. The public customer pages do not publish a fixed number of days after the due date, crew cutoff time, or exact physical-lock sequence. Customers should contact NBU at (830) 629-8400 before the last date shown on the bill and request a payment arrangement if eligible.

Statutory warning protocol

What notice should you expect?

NBU's bill displays the due date, late-charge exposure, and last date for payment. The utility offers Budget Billing, AutoDraft, and utility-bill assistance to reduce missed-payment risk. The public pages do not document a complete automated call, SMS, colored-mailer, door-hanger, or legally sequenced warning protocol before disconnection. Planned water outages generally receive at least 48 hours' advance notice, but that is an operations notice rather than a delinquency notice.

If a notice seems wrong

Document the account balance, payment confirmation, notice date, and any household medical or accessibility concern. Then call the provider using the contact information on its official bill or profile before the stated deadline.

Restoring service

Reconnection costs and timing

NBU's public ordinance and customer pages state that reconnection fees or processing fees are charged as prescribed by the Service Conditions Policy, but the current public pages do not disclose the exact regular-hours or after-hours delinquency-reconnection amounts. Customers should obtain the account-specific restoration total from (830) 629-8400 before paying. Separate fire-hydrant meter deposits and construction/service charges do not represent residential delinquency reconnection pricing.

Need a payment arrangement?

Ask before the shut-off date

Tell the customer-service representative that you are responding to a delinquency notice and ask specifically about installment plans, hardship protection, charity referrals, and the amount required to stop the disconnection order.

Customer protection guide

What to do when a bill becomes urgent

A delinquency notice from New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) Water and Wastewater Services should be treated as a time-sensitive account document. Read the exact due date, amount required, notice method, and contact instructions on the notice, then compare them with the provider details in this guide.

If you have already paid, gather the confirmation number and posting date. If you cannot pay the full amount, call before the stated shut-off date and ask about arrangements, hardship protections, agency referrals, and the minimum amount needed to pause action.

Keep the conversation specific: ask what will stop the order, when the payment must post, whether a reconnection fee applies, and whether the utility requires a separate request for medical, accessibility, or household-protection status.

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