What is E.BILL?

E.Bill is Santa Margarita Water District’s version of online bill presentation that allows customers to both view and pay their water bill online, using various payment methods.

Will there be a fee for E.BILL?

No. SMWD will not charge any fees to customers who choose to utilize the E.BILL service.

How can I sign up for this service?

To sign up for E.BILL, you will need to have access to the internet and a current email address. You will also need your SMWD account number, which can be found on the top right hand corner of your paper water bill. If you decide to pay your bill online, you will need to provide your bank routing number and checking account number and/or credit card account numbers and expiration dates.

You are now ready to sign up.
1. Log onto www.SMWD.com
2. Click on the E.BILL logo to get started
3. Click on “Sign up for E.Bill” to get started
4. Create a user name and password
5. View your bill
6. Make a secure payment

How do I know my account information will be secure with E.BILL?

All of your account information will be managed on a secure SSL-encrypted i-doxs.net server. No E.BILL account information is stored on the SMWD server or viewed by SMWD employees, and your e-mail address will not be provided to any third parties.

Can I make a payment online?

Yes! Several forms of payment will be accepted. Once you have established your E.BILL account, you can click on “My Home” and manage your payment options.

You can select a one-time payment or recurring payment. You may use a checking account (ACH) or a credit card (Visa or MasterCard) to pay your bills.

You will have the option of paying immediately or scheduling a payment at a later date. Just remember that although payments can be scheduled, the due date of your bill will remain the same.

You will also have the option to have your bill paid automatically from your checking account or credit card.

I’d like to occasionally pay my bill online – but I don’t want to sign up for E.BILL. Is this possible?

Yes. As an SMWD customer, you will be able to use the one-time payment option on our Web site that allows customers to enter their account number and name and pay their bill using a credit card or electronic check (ACH).

You will not have to establish a username and password. This is available to customers who want to continue to receive paper bills and may not want to establish a customer profile that holds financial information.

What type of bank accounts can I use to pay online?

You can use a checking account from any financial institution that accepts electronic debits.

What type of credit cards can I use with E.BILL?

SMWD will accept VISA and MasterCard, but we do not accept debit cards for credit payments.

I’ve forgotten my username and password. What do I do?

Log onto www.SMWD.com and click on the E.BILL logo. Click on “Forgot your password?” Enter your account number and the email address you used when setting up the E.BILL account.

Why doesn’t my username and/or password work?

The username and password fields are case sensitive. If you input either of these fields using a mixture of upper and lower case characters during registration, you must input them exactly the same at the login page. For example, John Doe cannot be entered as john doe or JOHN DOE.

If you continue to have problems with your username or password, contact the SMWD Customer Service team at (949) 459-6420 or contact us at custservice@smwd.com.

If I use E. BILL, how will I receive my bill?

You will receive an email letting you know that your bill is ready to be viewed. There will be a link that you can click on to bring you directly to the SMWD Web site where you can view your bill and select the various payment options.

Will I continue to receive a paper bill in addition to the online version?

No. Once you sign up for E.BILL you will no longer receive a paper bill. You will receive an e-mail notification that your monthly bill is ready to be viewed and paid online.

When is my online bill due?

Your SMWD bill is due and payable upon presentation the same as your paper bill has been. The online bill is an electronic copy of the paper bill and has a “Due Date” which is 25 days after the bill date. The bill will become past due after 25 days if unpaid.

With E.BILL, how will I receive bill inserts, messages and newsletters that are currently included in the paper bill?

Bill messages will continue to be placed on the bill and you can view them when you access your bill statement online. Insert information and District newsletters can be accessed on the District’s Web site by clicking on the “publications” tab.

I have multiple SMWD accounts. Do I need to establish separate E.BILL user names and passwords to view each bill?

No. Once you have signed up for one of your accounts, you will be able to view and make changes to all your SMWD accounts.

How will I receive verification of payment from SMWD?

You can view your past payments and check each payment status by logging into your account at www. SMWD.com. You will know your payment has been received once it is “approved.”

You can also access SMWD’s automated Account Information center by calling (949) 459-6420. Once you have accessed the automated system, you can enter your account number and listen for your account balance and last payment detail.

As always, you can call our Customer Relations team at (949) 459-6420 if you would like to speak with a representative about your payment history.

If I move to another address within the District’s boundaries, will my water service and account information be transferred automatically to my new address?

No. If you move, you will need to establish a new water/sanitation account with SMWD. Because you will receive a new account number, you will need to sign on to your E.BILL account and add the new account number to your list of active accounts.

If I have an adjustment to my bill, will it be sent to me automatically through E.BILL?

No. Only scheduled monthly bills will be available to view online. Any subsequent bills or adjustments will be sent via regular mail.

I prefer to continue paying my bill as usual using the paper statement. Is this still possible?

Yes. E.BILL is an optional program. Unless you choose to enroll in the E.BILL system, you will continue to receive your bills via the postal service.

I want to continue using Direct Pay to pay my SMWD bill. Can I still sign up to receive electronic bills through E.BILL and eliminate the paper bill?

Yes! You can sign up for E.BILL and you will receive an e-mail notifying you the bill is ready to be viewed. After you view your bill, you may use the “File” option to archive your statements. You do not have to utilize the payment options on E.BILL to simply view your statements online.

Please note that if you do want to make payments through E.BILL, you must cancel your DirectPay subscription. See the next question for more details.

How do I cancel Direct Pay if I want to start making payments online through E.BILL?

In order to cancel Direct Pay, SMWD must receive your cancellation request in writing. You can send SMWD a note requesting us to remove your account from Direct Pay, or you can fax the notification to 949-459-6460. Then, sign up for E.BILL and set up your online service. You may use the one-time payment option or recurring payment option with E.BILL, but with more flexibility than now offered by Direct Pay.

If I sign up for E.BILL, will I be subjected to spam or other unsolicited email advertisements from third-party organizations?

No. SMWD will not disclose any customer information, including email addresses, to a third party for solicitation.