Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) For Paying Online
What are the benefits of paying a bill online?
Paying online with a credit / debit card or electronic check (e-check) saves time and gives you the flexibility to pay how and when desired.
What is the WIPP?
WIPP is an acronym for the Web Inquiry & Payment Portal that is used to pay your bill online by credit / debit card or e-check. Specific account information is also available with the ability to reprint a bill. Secured payments are processed through FIS Global and are imported into the system daily.
What is the relationship between Bath Electric, Gas & Water Systems (BEGWS), Edmunds & Associates, and FIS Global?
Edmunds & Associates is the financial / accounting software used by BEGWS. The WIPP allows customer payments made online to be directly applied to customers’ accounts. Edmunds & Associates uses FIS Global to process credit / debit card and e-check transactions, so you’ll be redirected to the FIS Global “Link2Gov” website when you’re processing a web payment.
How do I make an online payment using the WIPP?
Please refer to the “Instructions for Paying Online”, which can be found on this website under the “Paying My Bill” heading.
Where can I find my Account Number and PIN to access the WIPP?
Locate your Account Number and PIN at the top-left corner of your bill. Please refer to the “Instructions for Paying Online”, which can be found on this website under the “Paying My Bill” heading for detailed instructions for making a payments with the WIPP.
Why am I being charged a convenience fee?
The 2.95% for credit / debit cards and $1.05 for e-checks are convenience fees being charged by FIS Global, who is the 3rd party processing transactions. BEGWS does not receive the convenience fees—they go directly to FIS Global. The convenience fee will show up on your credit / debit card or banking account as a separate transaction. An email address is required when making an online payment as a receipt will be sent via email detailing any BEGWS charges as well as the convenience fee.
Will a partial payment paid online be automatically applied to specific utilities in order to avoid shutoff?
No. Customers wishing to apply partial payments to specific utilities will need to come into the Commercial Office to do so. ANY payments made online will be credited to the oldest balances first. This means if you are paying ONLY for electric or gas, but you have water and sewer charges that have not been paid, your payment may pay the outstanding water and sewer charges first. Once payment has been made online, it cannot be adjusted after being submitted. Customers making partial payments to avoid disconnection of their utilities are advised to visit the Commercial Office to make sure partial payments are credited to the correct utilities.
Can I pay online with a credit / debit card or e-check to restore disconnected services?
No. If you are paying to restore disconnected services due to non-payment, a re-connection charge will apply and cannot be added to your bill until payment is made. Therefore, ANY payments to restore services MUST be made in the Commercial Office with cash, check or money order.
If BEGWS currently does not accept checks from me due to a history of insufficient funds (NSF), can I make payments online with credit / debit card or e-check?
No. Online payments by credit / debit card or e-check will not be allowed for any customers we currently do not accept checks from.
Can I pay an amount other than the amount due online?
Yes. You are responsible to pay all charges on your account when they are due. Any past due amount is due immediately.
ANY payments made online will be credited to the oldest balances first. This means if you are paying ONLY for electric or gas, but you have water and sewer charges that have not been paid, your payment may pay the outstanding water and sewer charges first. Once payment has been made online, it cannot be adjusted after being submitted. Customers making partial payments to avoid disconnection of their utilities are advised to visit the Commercial Office to make sure partial payments are credited to the correct utilities.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) customers need to open the PDF of your bill and pay the “Total Due” at the bottom right-hand corner and NOT the default “Payment Amount” in the WIPP. HEAP credits make the default “Payment Amount” incorrect, so please type-in the amount shown on your actual bill under “Total Due.” For your information, a PDF of your bill is available online through the WIPP.
In addition, if you are paying to restore disconnected services due to non-payment, a re-connection charge will apply and cannot be added to your bill until payment is made. Therefore, ANY payments to restore services MUST be made in the Commercial Office with cash, check or money order.
Customers have the ability to pay more than the amount due on their current bill, which would carry-forward and be applied to the next bill.
Will I be able to make online payments immediately after accessing my account with my Utility Account Number and PIN?
Yes, you can start making payments immediately after successfully accessing your account. However, online payments by credit / debit card or e-check will not be allowed for any customers we currently do not accept checks from due to a history of insufficient funds (NSF).
How long does it take for payments made in the WIPP to post to my account?
Immediately upon making a payment customers will receive confirmation that a payment has been submitted to your financial institution for approval. BEGWS recommends you print the confirmation screen and retain it for your records. We also suggest customers retain the emailed receipt, as well. Secured payments are processed through FIS Global and are imported into the system daily. Successful payments made through the WIPP will be applied to the account effective when the initial payment was submitted.
However, it can take up to 5 banking days for e-checks and up to 3 banking days for credit / debit cards to process with your financial institution. Please allow enough processing time to ensure BEGWS receives a successful payment in case there’s an issue with your financial institution and the payment isn’t successful.
If I pay different bills (i.e. for different locations), will I have different PIN numbers for each account?
Yes, each account will initially be assigned a unique PIN number to access the WIPP. The Account Number and PIN are the unique identifiers that give you access to your account in the WIPP. If customers would like the same PIN for multiple accounts, customers can call the office to get the PINs changed so they are the same for all accounts. However, you’ll still need to access each account individually (using each Account Number) and pay each bill individually. The WIPP doesn’t have the ability to link multiple accounts.
Do I have to enter an email to make a payment?
Yes, an email address is requirement as your receipt will be sent via email as confirmation of payment.
When can I pay?
You can make a payment or review your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the WIPP. Immediately upon making a payment customers will receive confirmation that a payment has been submitted to your financial institution for approval. BEGWS recommends you print the confirmation screen and retain it for your records. We also suggest customers retain the emailed receipt, as well.
Secured payments are processed through FIS Global and are imported into the system daily. Successful payments made through the WIPP will be applied to the account effective when the initial payment was submitted. However, it can take up to 5 banking days for e-checks and up to 3 banking days for credit / debit cards to process with your financial institution. Please allow enough processing time to ensure BEGWS receives a successful payment in case there’s an issue with your financial institution and the payment isn’t successful.
If I am a customer with HEAP, can I pay on the WIPP?
Yes. However, Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) customers need to open the PDF of your bill and pay the “Total Due” at the bottom right-hand corner and NOT the default “Payment Amount” in the WIPP. HEAP credits make the default “Payment Amount” incorrect, so please type-in the amount shown on your actual bill under “Total Due.” For your information, a PDF of your bill is available online through the WIPP.
