FAQ - Your American Bottoms Account

I'm getting an American Bottoms bill.  What's this bill for?

How can I pay my bill?

If I have questions about my account, who do I call?

I'd like the bill sent to another address, who do I call?

I'd like to change the name on my bill, who do I call?

Who's responsible for paying this bill, I rent?

I'm a landlord with several properties.  How do I know if my tenants are paying?  I don't want to be responsible for the bills if they leave a balance behind.

I'm a landlord.  I notice there is, or is about to be, a lien on one of my properties.  Your bill is not
in my name, it's in my tenant's name.  How can you make me responsible for any unpaid balance
left by my tenant?

I'm paying several companies for water.  How is this possible?

I established service with the water, the gas, the phone, the electric companies, etc. but I never called you to establish service.  Why am I getting a bill from you?

How is my bill calculated?  It seems to vary month to month.

What's the current rate?

I'm getting more than one bill from American Bottoms, why?

I have a very large collection bill.  Is there some payment plan I might qualify for?

I pay my water bill, but I received a notice for disconnect from you, why?

What do I do when I get a notice that my water might be shut off?

My water just got shutoff.  What do I need to do to get it turned back on?

What are the fees I'm responsible for if I got a water shutoff notification?

I hardly use any water yet my consumption is high. How come?

How can I tell if I have a leak?

I found a leak, and now it's fixed.  What should I do?

What can I do to decrease my consumption?

Do I have to pay for filling my backyard pool?

I'm moving, what do I need to do?

I'm a new, or previous owner, should I let American Bottoms know if I've sold property in this service area?

I have a lien on my property.  How can I get this released?

I just bought this property and I find out it has a lien on it.  Am I responsible for it?

I got a summons to appear in court.  How can I avoid this?

The person on the bill I get has (died or no longer lives here).  Why should I be responsible for the charges when it was under his/her name?

My spouse filed bankruptcy and the American Bottoms' bill is in my name.  Can I include these charges in my spouse's bankruptcy?

How can I find out more concerning my account?

 

I'm getting an American Bottoms bill.  What's this bill for? top

American Bottoms Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility treats the "dirty" water that leaves your home or your business along with water that goes into some of the storm water drains along the roadways.

You pay for wastewater services based on water usage reported to us from your water company.  When you bathe, do laundry, flush, do dishes, brush your teeth, etc. the water that goes out of your home comes to us through a network of sewer systems feeding into our facility.  We treat it, sample it, analyze the results, dispose of the solids, and finally release the cleaned water into the Mississippi River.  You can learn more about this process via our virtual tour

The Clean Water Act was enacted in 1972 under the United Stated Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).  American Bottoms started serving the community in 1986 as a result of the Clean Water Act and has been in operation 24/7 ever since.  We are highly regulated through state and federal agencies including the IEPA, the USEPA, and OSHA.

 

How can I pay my bill? top

There are several ways you can pay your American Bottoms Bill:

Note: We do not recommend you pay by mail if you received a water disconnect notice.

 

If I have questions about my account, who do I call? top

Customer Accounts at (618) 337-9000

 

I'd like the bill sent to another address, who do I call? top

Customer Accounts at (618) 337-9000

 

I'd like to change the name on my bill, who do I call? top

First call your water company.  After the water company changes your name, call American Bottoms' Customer Accounts, (618) 337-9000.  We cannot change the name until your water company makes the change.                                                                                             

 

Who's responsible for paying this bill, I rent? top

The service user on our records must match the water company records.  If you rent, the landlord may have specified this payment on your lease agreement; however, that is between you and your landlord.  If bills go unpaid, water discontinuance, law suits, and/or liens may result.  Ultimately, anyone living in the household is responsible for this bill.

 

I'm a landlord with several properties.  How do I know if my tenants are paying?  I don't want to be responsible for the bills if they leave a balance behind. top

American Bottoms can sue the customer for unpaid balances or file a lien against the property.  Landlords can help themselves by doing one or more of the following:

• Request a consolidated monthly report which shows the activity on each of your properties
• Put the bill in your name and collect additional rent
• Call AB Customer Accounts (618) 337-9000 for payment statuses
• Request water shutoff - provided the account meets the necessary criteria
• Take action when you receive an owner notification - these are mailed to the owner when a tenant's bill becomes delinquent
• Call AB Customer Accounts (618) 337-9000 with forwarding addresses and social security numbers of prior tenants who've left unpaid balances

  

I'm a landlord.  I notice there is, or is about to be, a lien on one of my properties.  Your bill is not in my name, it's in my tenant's name.  How can you make me responsible for any unpaid balance left by my tenant?  top

American Bottoms can place a lien on the property where service was provided pursuant to State of
Illinois Statute 65 ILCS 5/11-141-7.  To avoid liens, landlords should consider the suggestions noted
above. 

 

I'm paying several companies for water.  How is this possible? top

Residents may be paying multiple bills related to water, possibly 3 different bills.

In some cities, some of these services may be combined on one bill because they are all done by the same company.  Here, American Bottoms is a separate company providing specialized services, thus a separate bill you must pay.

 

I established service with the water, the gas, the phone, the electric companies, etc. but I never called you to establish service.  Why am I getting a bill from you? top

Once you establish water service, you're automatically added as an account with us.  The wastewater treatment services are tied to your having water services, that's also why your water can be disconnected if you don't pay either bill.

 

How is my bill calculated?  It seems to vary month to month. top

American Bottoms receives water usage records from your water company every month.  Your bill is based on the amount of water used times the rate we've set for that fiscal year.   American Bottoms' rate is reviewed annually.  The rates American Bottoms charges are not the same as the rates charged by your Water Company, so these two bills may not be the same. 

Your bill will vary when your water usage varies.   If the water company estimates your reading, your bill may be different than usual.  Your bill can also be different depending on the number of days between your meter readings.  If your bill jumps unexpectedly, it may be due to a leak or more days between meter readings.  Get leaks repaired quickly before they become expensive problems.

 

What's the current rate? top

$3.79 per 1,000 gallons, or

$2.84 per 100 cubic feet (if your water records are cubic feet versus gallons)

Between July 1 and September 30, we lower our rates by 10% as a summertime courtesy adjustment. 

Additional charges apply for industrial customers.                               

 

I'm getting more than one bill from American Bottoms, why? top

There are actually several reasons you may be receiving more than one bill: 

 

I have a very large collection bill.  Is there some payment plan I might qualify for? top

For a limited time, American Bottoms is offering Settlement Agreements to those customers who have outstanding collection balances.  If you have been receiving a monthly blue and white bill, you have an outstanding collection balance and may be eligible to participate in American Bottoms' final Settlement Program.  Should you elect to participate in this program, you will be allowed to pay off your current collection balance at no interest by choosing from a sliding scale of pre-negotiated settlement balances and payment periods.

Your Agreement will remain in force provided you make timely payments on both your Settlement Agreement and your monthly treatment bill.  Once your reduced balance is paid, American Bottoms will release its liens and forgive the amount by which the collection balance was reduced, provided your current bill remains paid.

Even though American Bottoms files liens on properties with ourstanding balances, some customers push the burden of repayment to their heirs.  In this program an agreement that goes into default because of death, diminished capacity, etc. can be transferred to the customer's heirs, administrator, or other party wishing to assume the liability.  We hope this will give our customers an incentive to put something in place now to help others obtain a lien-free property.

If you are interested in learning more about this settlement program, call 618-337-9000 and talk to one of our customer service representatives.  They'll be glad to let you know what needs to be done to qualify for a settlement.  After your account qualifies for a settlement, we'll mail you an Offer Letter with your options.  It's that easy to start the process.

 

I pay my water bill, but I received a notice for disconnect from you, why? top

Illinois Complied Statues:  Chapter 65 ILCS 11/141-7 allows American Bottoms to require water companies to discontinue water service for unpaid wastewater bills.  American Bottoms pays each water company for this shutoff service and lost revenue charges.  These fees are passed on to the customer.                                                                                      

The very best way to avoid water shutoff is to pay your bill each month and not carry a balance forward.

 

What do I do when I get a notice that my water might be shut off? top

Follow the instructions on your letter.  Call Customer Accounts at (618) 337-9000 to find out the amount you need to pay to avoid shutoff.  After you pay call Customer Accounts to verify your payment.

 

My water just got shutoff.  What do I need to do to get it turned back on? top

If your water was turned off for a delinquent American Bottoms bill, call (618) 337-9000.  Any of the Customer Account Reps can tell you the amount you'll need to pay for restoration.  You'll also be required to pay for all the fees the water company charges American Bottoms for their services.

 

What are the fees I'm responsible for if I got a water shutoff notification? top

Your water company does water shutoffs for us if you do not pay your American Bottoms bill.  Your water company charges us for this service, and we pass these fees back to our customers.  Depending on the water company you use, the fees will vary.  The notices you get will detail these fees.  If you tamper with your meter, you will be charged additional fees.

 

I hardly use any water yet my consumption is high. How come? top

You may have a leak in your plumbing or a running toilet. Certain activities like doing many loads of laundry, or taking long showers can have a big impact on the amount of water you use. 

 

How can I tell if I have a leak? top

The easiest way to determine if there is a leak is to make sure all the taps are turned off in the house and that there is no water being used (including humidifiers, air conditioners and ice machines).

Go to the water meter and if the meter is moving, then there is a leak somewhere in the plumbing.

 

I found a leak, and now it's fixed.  What should I do? top

First tell your water company about this.  You'll probably be asked to send proof of repair so don't throw your receipts away!  Next, call us at (618) 337-9000 and report your repair.  We'll watch for the water company's adjustment and we'll adjust accordingly.  We may also request copies of these same receipts.

 

What can I do to decrease my consumption? top

Use a low flow shower nozzle and low flow toilets.   A low flow showerhead can decrease one's bath consumption by 50% or more.

Keep a daily log of how you're using water (i.e., lawn watering, car washing, how many times the toilet is used, how many showers are taken in a day and for how long, and how much laundry is being done) and reduce the frequency if possible.

Use a bucket with a sponge plus a trigger nozzle on the hose to wash your vehicle. Compared to a running hose, you will save over 79 gallons of water.

Make sure you are doing a full load of laundry and the dishwasher is full when you use it.

Some people put a plastic jug of water in the tank of older toilets so the tank doesn't fill up entirely.

 

Do I have to pay for filling my backyard pool? top

Maybe.  American Bottoms will give pool credits to customers who have requested a credit, but only if each of the following is true:

 

I'm moving, what do I need to do? top

First, call your Water Company.  Then call American Bottoms at 618-337-9000 to let us know you're moving, and give us your forwarding address.  Your account with American Bottoms will close after the water company sends us your final water usage data, and we'll mail this final bill to your new address.

 

I'm a new, or previous owner, should I let American Bottoms know if I've sold or purchased property in this service area? top

It's important to let American Bottoms know if you've sold or purchased property in our service area.  By doing this, American Bottoms can send delinquent notifications to the proper owner and your risk of liens can be decreased.

 

I have a lien on my property.  How can I get this released? top

Call Customer Accounts at (618) 337-9000 for your balance.  Once the balance is paid, American Bottoms will send you a lien release letter.  Take this letter to the St. Clair County Courthouse Recorder of Deeds Office to have the lien formally released.  This entire process can take several weeks unless the payment is made by cash or money order.

 

I just bought this property and I find out it has a lien on it.  Am I responsible for it? top

Yes.  The lien is against the property, not the person.  The lien will continue to follow the property regardless of the owner.

This is often the case when property changes ownership through "Quit Claim Deeds."  Our best advice to you is to always do a title search regardless of how you are purchasing property.  Not doing this can be a costly oversight.

 

I got a summons to appear in court.  How can I avoid this? top

You may be able to set up an "agreement to pay" before your court date; however, once an account has been placed with the American Bottoms' attorney, all questions should be referred to that office: 

Daniel Hayes Law Office at (618) 355-0660.

 

The person on the bill I get has (died or no longer lives here).  Why should I be responsible for the charges when it was under his/her name? top

Tenants of the home are equally responsible for our bills.  The debt is not discharged simply because another household member is now the service user.

 

My spouse filed bankruptcy and the American Bottoms' bill is in my name.  Can I include these charges in my spouse's bankruptcy? top

No.  The delinquent charges will be included in a spouse's bankruptcy only if he/she is the service user; however, if that's the case, the other spouse will be liable for the charges.  Either way, one of the spouses will always be responsible for the delinquent balance.

 

How can I find out more concerning my account? top

Complete the Account Questions form.  After completing the request, it will be automatically emailed to our Customer Accounts department.  One of our representatives will get back with you.