Homeowners in Greensboro, North Carolina are set to face a new water fee starting this summer as part of the city’s revised payment policy. Beginning July 1, 2026, residents will incur an additional charge when paying their water bills using credit or debit cards. The fee could range from a minimum of $1.95 per transaction to as much as 2.95% of the bill, depending on the payment amount.
Why the New Water Fee?
This fee, applied to municipal payments, is not unique to Greensboro, as credit card processing fees have become common at retail and dining establishments. For the past few years, the City of Greensboro had absorbed these costs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help ease the financial burden on residents. However, as the city can no longer afford to cover the processing fees, they are being passed onto the consumers starting in July.
Melvina Warnsley, Customer Service Manager for Greensboro’s Department of Water Resources, explained, “During COVID, we absorbed that fee because of the economy and so on, and therefore, but now, we can no longer absorb that fee,” reports The Sun.
How Can Residents Avoid the Fee?
While credit card payments will now come with a surcharge, there are ways for customers to avoid it. Residents can set up automatic payments through their bank account using the GSO WaterWise portal, or explore other fee-free options available on the City of Greensboro’s website. These methods will bypass the card processing fee.
The new surcharge will apply to any payment method linked to a credit card, including PayPal, Venmo, and Google Pay. This means if you use any of these platforms and have a credit card linked to them, you will still face the processing fee.
How Many People Will Be Affected?
According to the latest figures, of the 111,364 properties served by the city, 56,964 customers pay their water bills online using a credit or debit card. In addition, 832 customers pay via PayPal, and 115 use Venmo. With over half of the payments made through these methods, the new fee will impact a significant portion of Greensboro’s residents.
Public Reaction
Greensboro residents have voiced their frustrations online, with many feeling upset about having to pay a fee simply to pay a bill. One Facebook user called it “ridiculous” to pay a fee for paying a bill, while another complained, “Crazy you’re charging me to use my own card.” Some residents suggested returning to paper checks to avoid the fee.
This new fee comes as a growing trend in municipalities across the country. Other areas have also begun applying credit card processing fees to energy and utility bills, adding to the financial strain on households.
