Why DeKalb utility bills have a new, out-of-state address

Viola Davis with her DeKalb County water bill for $503.57, demanding answers along with other local residents about excessively high water bills during a town hall meeting on Nov. 10, 2016, in Decatur. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Viola Davis with her DeKalb County water bill for $503.57, demanding answers along with other local residents about excessively high water bills during a town hall meeting on Nov. 10, 2016, in Decatur. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

DeKalb residents recently received an “important notice” about their water and sewer bills: a new payment address starting on June 4. Check will still be written to DeKalb County Finance, but instead of mailing them to Atlanta the new payment address is hundreds of miles away in Charlotte, N.C.

So what gives? The county provided The Atlanta Journal-Constitution with a statement explaining the change.

“DeKalb County’s utility payments are processed by Wells Fargo, which is moving its Columbus, Georgia, retail payment processing to its strategic Charlotte, North Carolina, processing site,” the county said.

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In case you were wondering, any payments sent to the old address will be forwarded to the new one. These payments won’t incur late fees.

Customers can also continue to pay their utilities by phone, online at the county website or in person at the DeKalb County Utility Customer Operations Service Center, 774 Jordan Lane, Suite 200, Decatur, GA 30033.

By the way, Gwinnett County recently put out a similar notice to its utility customers. It's new mailing address was effective May 1.