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New Sewer Rent program: bills arriving this week

Posted on: November 2, 2020 - 2:48pm

This week, Dobbs Ferry property owners should be receiving their first quarterly Sewer Rent bills from our third-party-billing service, Minol USA. This program was adopted by the Board of Trustees on March 10th following a public hearing, in an effort to more equitably distribute the costs of maintaining and operating our Village's sanitary sewer system. 

Here is the communication that you will receive in your mail with your bill including detailed information about how to read your bill.

Prior to the establishment of the Sewer Rent Program, expenses related to repair and maintenance of our sanitary sewer system were paid for through the General Fund. As we contend with an aging system that continues to demand significant investment for repairs and maintenance in order to keep our community clean and healthy, it is important to distribute these costs across all users of the system.

The benefits of the Sewer Rent Program include the following:

  • Taxpayer savings: 40% of Dobbs Ferry property is tax exempt, which means a significant portion of the Village does not contribute to the funding of our public services. By establishing a separate sewer fund, all users of the system share the costs and contribute to the repair and maintenance of the system.
  • True cost transparency: The costs for sewer maintenance and repair were not previously obvious to the average taxpayer. When a sewage line unexpectedly breaks, the costs for repair can be in the tens of thousands while complete replacement can run into the millions. The sewer fund allows for better planning, dedicated capital project allocation and clear expenditure reporting under the separate fund.
  • The fees are based on use: The fees are charged based on water usage which means a small household that does not use much water, and therefore uses the sewers less, will be paying much less than a large institution that has much greater impact on our system. This fee structure is both fair, and it incentivizes responsible water use and encourages conservation.

Why this matters:
Poorly maintained sewers result in basement backups, raw sewage overflows and cave-ins with all associated risks to public health and our environment. It is in everyone’s interest to have an adequately maintained, adequately funded sewer system. The separate sewer fund allows us to share these costs across the entire system.

Your Sewer Rent Billing:

  • Your first statement will cover a four-month period from June 1 through September 30. All subsequent billings will cover a three-month service cycle and will be sent out quarterly.
  • All Sewer Rent bills are placed in the property owner’s name as listed on the Village tax rolls.
  • Sewer Rent charges are billed quarterly due within 30 days of the statement date. Please note the late fee policy listed on the reverse side of your Sewer Rent statement.
  • Please note that all usage quantity amounts come directly from Suez Water and are based on your individual water consumption during the service period.
  • Questions related to the quantity of water usage should be directed to Suez Water at 1-877-266-9101.
  • Reducing the total amount of usage and conserving water when possible will help keep both your water and sewer rent charges lower.

Dobbs Ferry has partnered with Minol USA to provide billing, customer service and payment collections for Sewer Rent charges. This partnership allows the Village to offer the following services:

  • Online account access at DobbsFerryNY.myUtilityDirect.com
  • Customer Service agents available Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM By phone at: 1-888-876-1672 By email at: DobbsFerryNY@myUtilityDirect.com
  • Multiple payment options including: payment by mail, online or over the phone
  • Paperless billing and eStatement notifications
  • AutoPay service and electronic bill pay options using your own online bill pay provider

If you believe you may be eligible for a full or partial exemption from Sewer Rent fees because your home is either not connected to the Village sewer system (eg. a separate septic system), or you seek a partial exemption for a separate irrigation system that is connected to a separate water meter, then you can find the exemption request application here.

For more information and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit DobbsFerryNY.myUtilityDirect.com
or dobbsferry.com/home/pages/sewer-rent.

For questions or concerns about the Sewer Rent program, you may call Alissa Fasman, Assistant to the Village Administrator at (914) 400-5965 or Jennifer Dorman, Senior Office Assistant, Department of Public Works at (914) 231-8507.