Residential Rates | Commercial Rates | Understanding Your Bill | How to Read Your Meters | Conservation & Safety Tips | Water Quality Reports | Customer Service Information

The NPU Customer Service Center is located at 173 North Main Street in Norwich, Connecticut. You can visit us Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. or call at (860) 887-2555. Click here for directions.

Getting Started: Payment & Administration

I am planning to move. How do I arrange to get my utilities turned on?
At Norwich Public Utilities we offer you one-stop shopping for all your utility needs.   If you are moving to, or within Norwich, simply contact us at (860) 887-2555 and we will arrange to have your electric, gas and water utility accounts activated. In most cases this can be done with one brief phone call.  Please make sure to give us at least 2 business days prior to your move date to set up your service.

If you planning to move from Norwich to another community and need to arrange termination of your service, please call us to coordinate this for you.  We required a minimum of 2 business days prior to your move to arrange for termination.

Will you require a security deposit?
Norwich Public Utilities may require a security deposit.

You mean I don't have to come down to your office I can arrange for service by phone?
Yes, in most cases we simply need the following information:

• Name
• Employer
• Name and address of your bank
• Social Security Number
• Driver's License Number
• Date of Birth
• Telephone number

Do you accept credit cards?
We accept both Visa and MasterCard over the phone, or in person.

I am having trouble paying my bill. What can I do?
First of all don't wait. If you are having a problem paying your bill, please let us know right away. We want to work with you to find an early solution so you don't risk losing your utility service. Simply speak with one of our Customer Account Representatives at 887-2555. We can review your account with you and talk about setting up a payment schedule.

My bills are always so high in the winter. I wish there were some way to spread out my bills throughout the year.
There is! Norwich Public Utilities offers a budget plan that enables you to spread out 12 months of billing with 11 equal payments. We will take your past 12 months of billings for all your services and divide that number by 11 to establish your monthly payment. The 12th month is when we reconcile your account and determine whether you are owed a refund or need to make a payment. In order to be eligible for this program your account must be up to date. Call a Customer Account Rep at 887-2555 for more information.

Back to Top

NPU currently offers several convenient bill payment options to make your life less complicated. Choose the one that best fits your lifestyle:

• AutoPay NEW!
• Online Bill Pay
• Pay by Phone
• Pay by Mail
• Pay in Person

AutoPay

Tired of writing the same check every month? Simplify your bill payments by enrolling in NPU's convenient automatic recurring payment service -- AutoPay. Each month, the "amount due" shown on your utility statement will be automatically deducted from your bank account or credit card account. You'll never have to worry about making another utility payment!

Enrolling for AutoPay is easy.

Just download the AutoPay authorization form (223K PDF)
If you don't have Adobe Acrobat to read PDFs,
you can download it here for free.
Fill it in completely, sign it, and return to:
ATTN: AutoPay
Norwich Public Utilities
173 North Main Street
Norwich, CT 06360

We also have payment agencies that will accept your utility payments:

• Chelsea Groton Savings Bank -- all branches
• Greeneville Drug Store, 213 Central Ave., Norwich

If you pay your bill at either of these locations, please allow three (3) business days for payment processing.

NOTE: If you are paying on your Due Date, please pay at our Customer Service office to avoid late payment fees.

Back to Top

Effective June 15, 2006, Norwich Public Utilities is implementing changes to its collections process. To learn more, click here (PDF download).

If you don't have Adobe Acrobat to read PDFs, you can download it here for free.

Back to Top

Please contact us with your questions if you cannot find an answer here.

I would like to connect to the city water supply. How do I do this?
Contact a Project Coordinator at 823-4149 to ensure the availability of city water at your property. NPU project coordinators can be reached Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Project coordinators are experts in the services we offer and can often make recommendations that will save you time and money. Best of all, our consultations are free of charge.

There is city water available. Who runs the pipes to my house?
Norwich Public Utilities is responsible for bringing the water service from the main in the street to the curb. It is the homeowner's responsibility to extend the water service line from the curb to the inside of the home or building. This is typically accomplished by hiring an outside contractor.

What are the contractor's responsibilities?
Once you hire a contractor, and obtain the necessary permits we strongly recommend that you or your contractor keep us informed of the planned installation. This will ensure that we are available to inspect the connections when the contractor is ready for us and save you any delays or added expense. It is mandatory that you or your contractor "Call Before You Dig " at 1-800-922-4455. We require 2 business days advance notice before digging can take place. Most contractors are aware that they are responsible for this contact.

When will I get my meter?
Norwich Public Utilities must inspect connections at the curb box before the contractor back fills the trench. Providing us with at least two business days’ notice will ensure the timeliest completion of your project. We will provide and install the water meter as soon as possible after the connection has been inspected.

What do I have to do to disconnect my well?
The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health codes require that piping from the well to the house must be disconnected after tying into a public water supply, to prevent contamination of the City’s water supply. Exceptions need to have the approval of the Commissioner of Health. You can get more information, and contact information for the Connecticut Department of health at their web site: http://www.dph.state.ct.us/

I would like to connect to city sewers. How do I do this?
Contact a NPU project coordinator at (860) 823-4149 to ensure the availability of city sewer at your property. The NPU project coordinator will assist you through the process of connecting to the city sewer system if it’s available to your property.

There is sewer service available. Who will run the pipes to my house?
The property owner is responsible for installing the sewer service from his/her home to the sewer main in the street. You will need to hire an outside contractor to provide this service.

How long will it take to get my service connected?
To ensure the timeliest completion of your project, we recommend that your contractor keep us informed of the status of the planned installation. This will ensure that we are available to inspect the connections at your convenience. It is important that your contractor contact "Call Before Your Dig" at 1-800-922-4455 2 business days in advance of any digging.

Back to Top

Did you know that NPU offers gas service 24 hours per day?
Our qualified field service technicians can provide service to both residential and small commercial appliances, heaters and furnaces. We also offer four service plans to our customers to provide "peace of mind" during the annual heating season.

Residential Gas Service Programs

The Residential Gas Service ‘Labor Only’ Plan

• This plan covers labor for repair to any gas furnace or appliance during normal business hours (M-F 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM).
• It is effective from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009.
• Parts required for any repairs will be replaced at an additional cost.
• Due to large variety of heating appliances, we cannot stock all replacement parts. Most parts are available by special order.
• Some repairs may require a heating contractor or plumber to be hired by the customer.
• This plan is available for single-family dwellings or individual apartments only.
• Emergency after-hour calls, such as no heat, are included in the plan.
• If service is required outside of normal business hours, a charge of $10.00 for the first half-hour and an additional charge of $15.00 for each quarter-hour thereafter will be assessed.
• Typically, the plan will ay for itself with just one service call
• For an additional fee, an annual cleaning can be added to this plan. The cleaning must be scheduled between April 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009.
• Tax included.

The Residential Gas Service ‘Labor & Parts’ Plan

This plan includes everything in the Labor Only Plan, plus these replacements parts: thermocouples, hot surface igniters, pilot generators, gas shut off valves, gas regulators, gas control valves, pressure relief valves, circulator motors, expansion tank, water pressure regulator/fill valve, air purge hyvent, zone valve head, pressure guage, aquastat, water guage glasses and washers, stem pressure control, blow down rebuild kit, transformer, fan and limit control, belts and standard thermostat.

Parts required outside of those specified will be replaced at an additional cost.

Rates for ‘Labor Only’ and ‘Labor and Parts’ Plans

Labor Only (Plan #1): $100.00

Labor Only with Annual Cleaning and Maintenance (Plan #2): $160.00



Labor and Parts (Plan #3): $120.00

Labor and Parts with Annual Cleaning and Maintenance (Plan #4): $180.00

Additional Information for Plans

Important Note:
Norwich Public Utilities reserves the right to inspect any equipment covered by the plan in accordance with the American Gas Association and the National Fuel Gas Code regulations, and reject heating systems that do not meet its requirements. If you sign up for one of these plans and NPU is unable to honor the terms for this reason, your renewal fee will be promptly refunded to you.

See the American Gas Association’s web site at: http://www.aga.org/

System Components Replaced, Repaired, and Adjusted At No Additional Charge:
This plan provides for replacement of defective orifices, thermocouples, and pilot generators, gas shut off valves, gas regulators, toggle switches, heating circuit fuses, water gauge glasses and washers, pressure relief valves, draft diverters, replacement of defective motors, blowers, circulator motors and couplings.

If a defective part is no longer manufactured, NPU will at no additional cost, utilize functional sub­stitutes, or if that is impractical, will immediately refund your subscription fee. NPU retains the right to determine when a part can be repaired, or when it shall be replaced. Equipment and material covered by this Plan must be tested and approved by the American Gas Association, installed according to local and state codes, and in good working condition on the date this plan begins. NPU reserves the right to inspect any equipment covered by the plan and reject heating systems that do not meet its requirements.

The Basic Services Provided At No Extra Charge:
NPU will endeavor to give prompt and efficient service for any conditions which may arise as a result of a malfunction of any of the items listed above. Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for no-heat emergencies. Weather conditions and workload shall govern response time. Routine service shall be performed during normal working hours, Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., excluding holidays.

Services and Components NOT Covered by These Plans:
The Plans do not provide for seasonal maintenance such as changing worn air filters, lubricating blow­ers and motors, cleaning boiler water, draining expansion tanks, venting radiators, balancing systems, any sheet metal work, and flushing of low-water burners, asbestos coverings, gas house piping, zone valves, circulators, expansion tank, water and steam piping, radiators, flow check valves, air scoops, radiator vent valves, flue pipe, vent dampers, water and steam valves, clock thermostats, registers, filters, humidifiers, and electric filters, or damage due to fire, floods, or natural disasters.

Back to Top

Information About Back Up Generators

If you are considering purchasing a generator, take a few moments to read these tips.

What you should know before purchasing, installing and using a backup generator.

Before Purchasing a Generator

• Inventory the appliances that you want the generator to power
• Determine the total wattage it will take to power these selected appliances
• Choose a generator that outputs more than your total wattage requirement
• Find a safe place outdoors to run the generator that will provide proper ventilation
• Consider how you will safely store the fuel for the generator

How to Power Appliances from a Generator

After purchasing a generator, you will need to determine how the electricity will be distributed to the electrical equipment in your home.

1. Plug the appliances directly into the generator. The most straightforward approach to using a generator is to plug your appliances into a power cord that runs to the generator outside. This method makes it easier to control overloading the generator.
2. Connect the generator into the building electric system. Connecting a generator into your home's wiring system is not a do-it-yourself project! We recommend a licensed electrician install the required transfer switch. The electrician will need to install the manual transfer switch between the housebreaker and the electric supply.

When the transfer switch is in the utility position, NPU will be supplying power to your home. By changing the switch to the generator position, the transfer switch will disconnect from the Utility and connect to the generator.

WARNING: Trying to connect a generator into your house's wiring system without disconnecting from the utility's supply could be disastrous! You could permanently damage your generator and the electrical appliances in your house. The generator could also back feed electricity into the utility system. This could mean injury or death for the utility worker repairing service on a line he/she did not know was energized.

Utility companies have a detailed process for delivering electricity safely to your home. Improperly installing a generator can cause damage to equipment and life threatening injuries. Norwich Public Utilities is available to consult with you on the installation of your generator. Our consultations are free of charge. Contact us at 823-4149.

Generator Safety Tips

• Follow all manufacturer's instructions for operating your generator safely
• Connecting a generator into your electric panel without a transfer switch is dangerous to you and our utility workers
• Consult a licensed electrician
• Install a transfer switch of the proper size
• Always disconnect from the utility before starting a generator
• Check and follow all national, state, and city fire and electric codes
• Do not remove any safety devices on the generator
• Never run a generator inside a building
• Insure that there is proper ventilation for the generator
• Store fuel in approved containers and place out of reach of children
• Never fuel your generator while it is running
• Replace any power cord that is frayed or has exposed wires
• Store a fire extinguisher near the generator
• Post the step-by-step procedure to follow when starting your generator and have it easily accessible.

Back to Top