Utility Payment Options

paybills.jpeg

Ways to Pay Your Department of Public Utilities Bill

For all inquiries regarding your Department of Public Utilities bill (electric, gas, water, wastewater and refuse services), please contact the Customer Care Center.

  • Cycle 1 (previously cycles 10 through 15 - White Rock): Read on the 1st of each month. August bill will be approximately 31-day read cycle, which includes all of July.
  • Cycle 2 (previously cycles 20 through 23 - Eastern Area & Townsite): Read on the 8th of each month. August bill will be approximately a 38-day billing cycle, which includes all of July and part of August.
  • Cycle 3 (previously cycles 30 through 35 - Western Area towards North Community): Read on the 15th of each month. August bill will be approximately a 45-day billing cycle, which includes all of July and half of August.
  • Cycle 4 (previously cycles 40 through 43 - Mesas): Read on the 22nd of each month. August bill will be approximately a 52-day billing cycle, which includes all of July and most of August.

We understand these extended billing periods may lead to higher bills and could create financial strain. Please contact the Customer Care Center to better understand assistance options and payment plans. 

What's on your bill?

The top of your utility bill contains important information, such as your billing cycle, the service period, your account number (should you need to contact the Customer Care Center), and your bill total. 

 

account summary info on DPU bill

The main body of the bill contains breakdowns for each of the services you receive charges for. You will see commodity charges as well as monthly service fees. 
DPU bill fee section

 

Electricity: Shows residential demand measured in kilowatts (KW), OffPeak and OnPeak measured in kilowatt-hours (KWH), and solar measured in kilowatt-hours (KWH). Note, all customers will see the "Solar KWH" item listing regardless of having solar or not.

Gas: Total usage measured in therms. Gas commodity rates change on the 8th of each month. You might see two rates listed depending on where your billing cycle falls against this date. 

Water: Usage is measured in hundred gallons and billed by kgal (per 1000 gallons). Rates are broken out by water tiers (from April to October) as applicable. 

water tier charges on DPU bill

Sewer and Refuse are recorded as a monthly service fee. If you have two or more trash bins, you will see multiple refuse charges (per trash bin). 

GRT is also collected on your bill. For the August bill, there was an error in the billing software calculation of electric for Cycles 1 and 2. This will be reflected on the September bill. 

Consumption graphs are at the bottom, just above the payment portion of the bill. These graphs reflect household consumption for electric, gas, and water over the last 12-month billing period. Note that the "Current" bar for the August bill shows more than one month of usage for Cycles 2, 3, and 4, as reflected in the "service period" of your bill. 

consumption bar chart on DPU bill

Los Alamos Now App

Download and tap the "Pay Utility Bill" option, complete with the Blinky emoji. You will be directed to the secure one-time payment option via Paymentus.

screenshot of Los Alamos Now app homepage with Pay Utility Bill circled

View your Utility Bill and Pay Online

Pay Online (one-time payment)

Visit the Paymentus website (our bill payment vendor) to enter a credit card, debit card or e-check to pay your utilities bill online. You will be prompted to enter your DPU Customer ID and Account numbers which can be found on your utility bill.

Pay Over the Phone

Call Paymentus at (866) 417-0694 to pay your utilities bill over the phone. You will be prompted to enter your DPU Customer ID and Account numbers which can be found on the upper right corner of your utility bill.

 

Sign up for Automatic Payments

Simplify your life and sign up for automatic payments below. The Department of Public Utilities will draft payments 20 days after your utility bill is issued from your bank, savings & loan or credit union. 

 

Mail Your Payment

You can mail your payment to:

Los Alamos County
P.O. Box 99
Los Alamos, NM 87544

Pay in Person or at a Drop Box

You may pay your utilities bill in person at the Customer Care Center or at one of our two drop boxes, also located at the: 

Municipal Building
1000 Central Avenue
Los Alamos, NM 87544

  1. Customer Care Center (located in the lobby) is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  2. Drop box located across the hall from the Customer Care Center, Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  3. Drop box located in the parking lot. Available 24/7.  Customer Care staff retrieves payments every business day at 5 p.m.