Utility Billing Office
FY 2023 Annual Budget
Department Description
The Utility Billing Office, which is an integral operation for the Water and Environmental Funds, is responsible for the creation, maintenance and administration of the City’s water, sewer and garbage utility billing accounts; this includes reading, billing water meters and collecting the revenue for services on a monthly basis, which provides adequate cash flow for the Water and Environmental Fund operations.
Organization Chart
Department Mission
Utility Billing Office mission is to provide excellent, friendly, and professional customer service to the citizens and customers of Victoria while maintaining an accurate and efficient utility billing system.
Goals and Objectives
- Replace broken water meters and parts by the end of FY 2023.
- Assist with managing the Water Meter Replacement Program with the Department of Utilities to change out and replace 10% of the water meter inventory. (23,000 est. inventory)
- Inactive meters will be pulled after 1year of inactivity & placed in inventory.
- Promote and advertise paperless billing and water monitoring through the customer portal.
- Maintain water meters to ensure accurate readings and billing.
- Collect Billing on a timely manner.
- Provide training for staff and cross-train staff when opportunities arise.
- Promote customer service.
FY 2022 Highlights
* Repaired old AMR antenna and installed new AMR antenna to increase accuracy of automated readings from mid-80s to high-90s percentage and reduce drive-by and manual meter readings for billing.
* Launched advertising campaign for WaterWise Water Monitoring System, which doubled customer portal users, from 200 to 400.
*Utilized Sensus Program to reach out to customers about potential leaks.
*Implemented a new automated phone payment system that allows customers to make payments 24/7.
*Cross trained other departments and developed emergency procedures in Sensus/AMR for inclement weather operations.
*Worked with Utilities Department to train meter technicians in repairing AMR meters. (Streamline the water meter replacement process with the Utilities Department.)
*Developed water meter replacement plan, replace 10% of the current inventory per year.
*Installed bullet-proof shield in lobby for staff.
*Certified AMR Crew Leader on bench meter testing operations.
*With the assistance of the Public Works Dept, UBO assisted with the operation of the 24 hour call center during the February freeze to assist customer concerns regarding frozen/busted pipes.
Performance Metrics
Departmental Efficiencies
-Cross-trained UBO and Public Works Admin Staff to navigate through Sensus Analytics to help answer customer questions about high consumption.
-Efficiently use the current AMR along with Sensus Analytics:
-to reduce the number of unread meters,
-detect and replace faulty meters,
-identify possible water leaks and reduce water loss, and
-detect unauthorized water usage.
-Streamlined the water meter replacement process by training meter technicians in repairing AMR meters.
-Weekly meetings with City Manager's Office has improved communication with other City departments (i.e., Water, Environmental Services, Development Services) to identify and address immediate needs which would enhance departmental operations.
-The automated phone payment system has reduced the time spent in collecting caller’s information and processing their payment for them, and reduced the agent call volume and manpower costs per call. (1,000 monthly average of automated phone payments)
-Waterwise portal has reduced volumes of calls and allowed customers to be more proactive in managing their accounts.
-Repaired and replaced AMR antennas to reduce drive-by and manual meter readings for billing.
FY 2023 New Program/Initiatives
Promote on-line account setup and activation in order to decrease lobby traffic.
Implement grouping of water meters from various sizes in order to enhance our emergency plan (similar building or owner groups together, for easier leak determinations during freeze or hurricane events).
Coordinate with the Water Department to facilitate the Meter Replacement Program.
Evaluate possible new billing software for UBO.
Utilize in-house communications departments versus outside vendors for promotion of the Waterwise Program.
Propose and replace new location for HEB Plus payment drop box.
FY 2023 Budget Highlights
The UBO budget request equals $1,108,317, an increase of $34,347 or 3.2 percent, compared to Fiscal Year 2022 Adopted Budget, $1,073,970. The Fiscal Year 2023 budget includes one time expenses of $5,802 and $1,102,515 in recurring expense, an increase of $48,545 or 4.6 percent, from last year’s recurring budget.
Personnel increase is due to $3,666 in baseline adjustments and $3,726 for Phase III of Compensation Plan. (Baseline adjustments: include payroll reorganizations, new hires, retirements that took place in the prior fiscal year, as well as longevity and TMRS rate that will be captured in this fiscal year.)
Maintenance increased by $6,541 due to software maintenance on the third antenna installed to obtain automatic meter readings.
Contractual Service increased by $4,800 due to contract with Martin Printing to fold, stuff and mail out UBO bills.
Capital expenditures are budgeted for $14,440 for the replacement of office computers and laptops and one-time funds of $3,500 to replace and relocate the payment dropbox located in front of HEB plus.
Total Expenditures for Corresponding Fiscal Year Presented
Department Full-Time Employees
- No major changes in recent years.
Department High-Level Descriptions of Personnel:
UBO Manager (1) - Oversees billing, collections, and administration of the City's water, sewer and garbage accounts. Also opens and closes water accounts, takes payments, and answers customer billing questions and concerns over the phone and in person while providing a high degree of customer service. Reconciles the end-of-month and completes water use & loss surveys for the TWDB.
Senior Customer Service Billing Representative (1) - Oversees customer service representatives. Works with difficult customer service cases. Updates all meter readings, processes bills twice a week, opens and closes water accounts in person and over the phone. Takes payments over the phone. Completes monthly reports.
Senior Customer Service Collections Representative (1) - Oversees cashiers. Works with difficult customer service cases. Completes daily reconciliation reports for deposits. Opens and closes water accounts in person and over the phone, takes payments over the phone. Completes monthly reports.
Customer Service Representatives (3) - Opens and closes water accounts in person and over the phone, takes payments over the phone. Completes and closes out open work orders. Scan in and attach work orders, pay plans and new account applications into our billing software and Laserfiche.
Cashiers (3) - Collect payments, balance money daily, file work orders, scan in and attach work orders into the billing software and answer customer billing questions.
AMR Tech-Crew Leader (1) - Oversees AMR service techs. Fix and repair meters to be read by satellite. Drive-by reads, turn off meters for nonpayment, turn meters on and off for move-in and move-outs. Lock meters for unauthorized usage, and provide excellent customer service in person and over the phone. Prepare reports and schedule AMR techs.
AMR Techs (2) - Fix and repair meters to be read by satellite. Turn off meters for nonpayment, turn meters on and off for move-in and move-outs. Lock meters for unauthorized usage, and provide excellent customer service in person.
Recommended/Not Recommended List
*** NOTE: Other items have been requested, however, they are not listed below due to the fact that the amount requested is in line for normal operating funding. ***