South Milwaukee Water Utility 2026: Bill Pay, Login & Phone

How to Pay Your South Milwaukee Water Bill Online

South Milwaukee Water Utility uses Our Community Connect for online account access and payments. Customers can pay by checking or savings account, credit card or debit card.

You must register and link your utility account before using the portal’s account features.

1. Open the official payment portal. Visit Our Community Connect.
2. Register or sign in. Existing users can access their account with registered credentials. New users must select Create your account.
3. Link your water account. Enter the utility account number and total current charges printed on your latest bill.
4. Review your balance. Check the account details, current bill and payment due date.
5. Choose a payment method. Select a checking/savings account or an accepted credit or debit card.
6. Review the processing fee. The portal adds a $1.50 fee for bank-account payments or 2.5% for card payments.
7. Complete the payment. Confirm the amount and retain the receipt or transaction number.

2026 Online Payment Fees

For example, paying a $200 water bill by credit card would result in a $5 processing fee, making the transaction $205. Paying the same bill through a checking account would result in $201.50.

These fees are collected by the payment processor, not the Water Utility, and may not be refundable.

South Milwaukee Water Utility Login and Registration

The Our Community Connect portal lets customers access more than bill payment. You can view utility statements, monitor water usage, see previous payments, sign up for paperless billing and receive payment reminders.

Create Your Online Account

1. Open Our Community Connect.
2. Select Create your account.
3. Enter your email address and create a strong password.
4. Confirm the password and optionally provide a mobile number for text alerts.
5. Select Register.
6. Open the verification email sent by the portal and verify your email address promptly. The verification link expires.
7. Enter your South Milwaukee water account number.
8. Enter the total current charges from your most recent utility statement.
9. Complete account linking and review the available account features.

The city notes that the last-name option shown by the registration system often does not work for South Milwaukee utility accounts. Use the current charges amount instead.

What Can You Do After Logging In?

• View your current water and sewer bill.
• Check outstanding balances.
• Review previous payments.
• Monitor available water consumption information.
• Set up automatic payments.
• Enroll in paperless billing.
• Receive email payment reminders.
• Enable optional text-message notifications.

Cannot Log In or Link Your Account?

Before calling the utility, check these common problems:

• Account cannot be linked: Use the total current charges, not the balance due.
• Verification email expired: Restart or repeat the verification process using the portal’s available option.
• Portal difficult to read on your phone: The city recommends turning off dark mode or using a computer during registration.
• Extra security questions: Customers accessing the portal more than 75 miles from South Milwaukee may encounter additional verification.
• Unknown email linked to the account: A previous customer may have failed to unlink their profile.

For an incorrectly linked account, call 414-768-8070, extension 420, and explain the issue.

Other Ways to Pay Your South Milwaukee Water and Sewer Bill

Online payment is optional. The utility accepts mailed checks, in-person payments and bank bill-pay checks. There is also a 24-hour payment drop box at City Hall.

Pay by Mail

South Milwaukee Water Utility
P.O. Box 130
South Milwaukee, WI 53172

1. Make your check payable to South Milwaukee Water Utility.
2. Write your full account number or service address in the memo field.
3. Include the payment stub from your statement.
4. Mail it early enough to arrive by the 20th of your billing month.

The utility accepts checks by mail. Do not mail cash.

Pay at the South Milwaukee Treasurer’s Office

City Treasurer’s Office
2424 15th Avenue
South Milwaukee, WI 53172

Hours: 7:30 AM–4 PM during regular city business days.

The Treasurer’s Office accepts cash or checks for utility payments.

Get directions to City Hall

Pay at Tri-City National Bank

Tri-City National Bank
2115 10th Avenue
South Milwaukee, WI 53172

The utility lists the following payment hours:

Bring your bill stub. South Milwaukee explicitly requires the payment stub for payments made at the bank.

Use the City Hall Payment Drop Box

A 24-hour depository box is located along the City Hall wall facing 15th Avenue, just north of the main doors.

Place your check and utility bill stub inside. Do not deposit cash or assume a payment left after business hours will post immediately.

How to Pay Through Your Own Bank

You may also use your bank’s online bill-payment service instead of the utility’s payment portal.

However, South Milwaukee warns that personal banks generally send these payments as paper checks. The utility recommends setting them up at least 10 days before the due date.

1. Sign in to your bank’s official website or mobile app.
2. Open its Bill Pay section.
3. Add a new payee named South Milwaukee Water Utility.
4. Enter the mailing address: PO Box 130, South Milwaukee, WI 53172.
5. Enter your full water account number and service address if the fields allow.
6. Schedule the payment at least 10 days before the utility deadline.
7. Check the delivery status and keep confirmation.

Your bank may require you to initiate each payment separately. Using bank bill pay does not necessarily establish a recurring automatic payment.

South Milwaukee Water Bill Due Dates and Billing Cycles

Unlike utilities that bill monthly, South Milwaukee sends water and sewer statements three times per year.

Each residential account belongs to a billing cycle based on its location. Your account’s cycle determines which months you receive a statement.

If the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday when City Hall is closed, payment is considered timely when received the following business day.

How to Find Your Billing Cycle

1. Check the cycle information on your latest water bill.
2. Visit the official Water & Sewer Billing page.
3. Open the residential Cycle Code Map.
4. Locate your property within the mapped billing area.
5. Note the three billing months and set payment reminders.

Registering with Our Community Connect is another way to receive email reminders before payments are due.

Late Water Bills, Penalties and Property Tax Transfers

South Milwaukee applies a one-time 3% late penalty to unpaid current billing charges after the payment deadline.

For example, a $250 unpaid current bill would result in a $7.50 penalty, making the amount $257.50 before any other applicable adjustments.

What Happens When Water Charges Remain Unpaid?

The city has a separate process for delinquent water and municipal-services charges connected to a property.

South Milwaukee’s published billing guidance states that unpaid water and municipal-service charges can be transferred to the property-tax bill under Wisconsin Statute Section 66.0809.

The city’s utility information also states that water service is not ordinarily disconnected solely for nonpayment under its published policy. However, customers should not assume that unpaid bills have no consequences: late fees and property-tax charges can be significant.

What to Do if You Have an Overdue Balance

1. Check your most recent bill and account balance in Our Community Connect.
2. Call 414-768-8070 to confirm the total due, including any penalties.
3. Ask whether your account is included in the annual tax-transfer process.
4. Choose an approved payment method that will reach the utility before the applicable deadline.
5. Keep the payment receipt and confirm the balance has been credited.

2026 South Milwaukee Water and Sewer Rates

South Milwaukee’s currently published water billing schedule took effect July 28, 2025. Its sewer rate schedule was updated effective February 1, 2026.

Water and sewer bills include meter-based fixed charges and consumption charges. The utility also applies public fire protection charges to water accounts where applicable.

Water Rates Published for 2026 Billing

These amounts are from the utility’s published water rate schedule effective July 28, 2025. Verify the current tariff for your account before relying on the figures for a later billing period.

Official Water Utility rates and tariff documents

2026 Sewer Rates

The sewer schedule effective February 1, 2026, lists the following charges:

Official source: South Milwaukee Sewer User Rates.

Understanding Water Usage Units

South Milwaukee uses cubic feet to measure water consumption.

100 cubic feet = approximately 748 gallons.

For example, 1,500 cubic feet represents approximately 11,220 gallons.

Under the city’s 2026 sewer schedule, 1,500 cubic feet of usage with a 5/8-inch meter would calculate as:

• Fixed sewer meter fee: $37.90
• 15 units of 100 cubic feet at $6.69: $100.35
• Illustrative sewer total: $138.25

This calculation covers sewer charges only. Water service, fire protection and other applicable charges are separate.

How to Start, Stop or Transfer South Milwaukee Water Service

The Water Utility identifies the property owner as the responsible utility customer. This matters when a home is sold, a rental changes occupants or the mailing address changes.

The city does not publish a universal self-service start/stop water application in its billing instructions. Contact the utility directly to confirm the requirements for your particular property.

When Buying a Home

1. Ask the seller or closing agent for the water and sewer account information.
2. Call 414-768-8070 before closing.
3. Ask about the current account balance and whether a final meter reading is needed.
4. Provide the ownership change and mailing information requested by the utility.
5. Verify the billing cycle and next payment deadline.
6. Register your own Our Community Connect profile and link the account after the ownership information is updated.

When Selling or Moving Out

1. Contact South Milwaukee Water Utility before the transfer date.
2. Explain the ownership or occupancy change and confirm the account requirements.
3. Provide updated mailing information for any remaining statements.
4. If you use Our Community Connect, sign in and unlink the account from your profile.
5. Cancel AutoPay separately if it is active.
6. Confirm the final balance and any pending payment.

South Milwaukee specifically tells customers to unlink their email from the online portal when they move or no longer have responsibility for the account.

How to Set Up or Cancel Water Utility AutoPay

Customers can schedule automatic payments through Our Community Connect.

Enable AutoPay

1. Log in to Our Community Connect.
2. Open your linked South Milwaukee Water Utility account.
3. Find the AutoPay setup option.
4. Select the available bank or card payment method.
5. Review the payment schedule and processing fees.
6. Check whether the portal allows you to set a maximum payment limit.
7. Confirm enrollment and verify the status of the next scheduled payment.

Why AutoPay Might Fail

The utility identifies one common reason: the customer may have established a maximum automatic-payment limit that is lower than the actual amount due.

If the balance exceeds that limit, the automatic payment can be rejected.

When this happens:

1. Log in and review the payment history.
2. Check your AutoPay maximum amount.
3. Compare it with the current bill.
4. Make a manual payment if the automatic payment was rejected.
5. Adjust the payment limit for future bills where appropriate.

To stop AutoPay, use your portal’s automatic-payment settings. When you sell or leave the property, also unlink the utility account from your profile.

High Water Bill, Leaks and Usage Problems

A sudden increase in the water and sewer statement can be caused by greater consumption, a plumbing leak, additional household use or a change in utility rates.

The first step is to review actual consumption over the four-month billing period.

1. Check the statement. Review current and previous water usage measured in cubic feet.
2. Log in to Our Community Connect. Use the portal to monitor available consumption and payment information.
3. Inspect toilets. A continuously running toilet can waste water without creating an obvious puddle.
4. Look for leaks. Check faucets, water heaters, basement plumbing and outdoor connections.
5. Consider seasonal changes. Summer lawn watering and other outdoor uses can increase consumption.
6. Contact the utility. If usage remains unexplained, call 414-768-8070 to ask about meter readings and the appropriate investigation process.

Keep records of any plumbing repairs and ask the utility whether a billing adjustment policy applies to your situation. Do not assume that repairing a leak automatically creates a credit.

Meter or Account Problem?

If the consumption data appears incorrect, prepare your account number, service address, billing period and previous statements before contacting the utility.

For a suspected meter problem, do not disturb the meter seal or operate utility-owned equipment. Ask the Water Utility for inspection instructions.

Water Main Breaks, Low Pressure and Other Service Concerns

If your property suddenly loses water or experiences unusually low pressure, first determine whether the problem affects one plumbing fixture, the entire building or nearby properties.

What to Do

1. Check multiple faucets to establish whether the problem is limited to one fixture.
2. Ask whether neighbors are experiencing the same issue, if practical.
3. Look for visible water escaping into the street or public area.
4. Contact South Milwaukee Water Utility at 414-768-8070 during regular office hours.
5. Provide the exact service address and describe when the issue started.
6. For an urgent problem outside office hours, use the city’s official website to confirm the current after-hours reporting route.

Water Utility office: 100 Marshall Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI 53172.

Regular phone hours: Monday–Friday, 7 AM–3:30 PM.

The utility’s published pages do not provide a separately verified 24-hour water emergency number, so customers should confirm the appropriate after-hours contact rather than assuming the regular business number is continuously staffed.

South Milwaukee Drinking Water Quality Reports

South Milwaukee Water Utility publishes annual Consumer Confidence Reports describing the city’s drinking-water quality, testing results and compliance with drinking-water standards.

The official archive includes a 2025 Annual Consumer Report as well as reports for earlier years.

How to Check the Latest Water Quality Report

1. Open the South Milwaukee Annual Water Report page.
2. Select the 2025 Annual Consumer Report or the latest report available.
3. Read the sections explaining the water supply and treatment process.
4. Review the detected-substances table and applicable drinking-water standards.
5. Check for any required public notices or explanations concerning regulatory results.
6. Contact the Water Utility at 414-768-8070 if you have questions about your tap water.

An annual water quality report summarizes monitoring over the reporting year. It does not replace any current boil-water notice or incident-specific advisory.

Lead Service Line Questions

The South Milwaukee Water Utility provides an official lead service line inquiry form.

Visit the Water Utility department page and find Lead Service Line Replacement Information.

Use the inquiry form to ask about your property’s service line and available replacement information. Do not assume that every older home contains lead service piping without confirming its materials.

South Milwaukee Water Utility vs. Milwaukee Water Works

South Milwaukee and Milwaukee are different municipalities. They do not share the same water billing portal or customer account system.

If your bill specifically says South Milwaukee Water Utility, use Our Community Connect and the South Milwaukee payment instructions.

Do not submit your South Milwaukee utility payment through a Milwaukee Water Works account portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official South Milwaukee Water Utility Resources

• Water & Sewer Billing and Payment Information — billing cycles, due dates, payment methods and penalties.
• Our Community Connect — official account login, online bill payments and AutoPay.
• Online Portal Registration Instructions — account linking, payment fees and troubleshooting.
• City Online Payments — official municipal payment services.
• South Milwaukee Water Utility Department — water rates, lead service line information and utility resources.
• 2026 Sewer User Rates — fixed meter charges, sewer consumption rates and official calculation example.
• Delinquent Water and Sewer Tax Charges — property-tax transfer information.
• Annual Drinking Water Quality Reports — 2025 and previous Consumer Confidence Reports.
• Water Utility Contact Directory — office location, staff contacts and phone number.

Information reviewed: October 23, 2026. This guide is based on official City of South Milwaukee Water Utility billing, online portal, sewer-rate and drinking-water information. The published water rates referenced above became effective July 28, 2025, while the sewer rates became effective February 1, 2026. Confirm any later tariff changes or account-specific fees directly with the utility.

Independent information guide: WaterUtilities.org is not operated by or affiliated with the City of South Milwaukee Water Utility. We do not process payments, manage customer accounts or dispatch utility repair crews.