Citizens Energy to roll out combined bills

Lykins

Now that it’s gotten its sea legs from owning the city’s water and sewer utilities, Citizens Energy Group next month plans to roll out a single bill for gas, water and sewer service.

The combined billing is expected to save $1 million annually.

The change also eliminates a practice customers have been bellyaching about for years—the reading of meters every other month. Instead, Citizens will begin monthly bill readings.

“This will eliminate estimated bills, a current practice many of our customers dislike,” said Carey Lykins, Citizens’ president and CEO.

Citizens, a public charitable trust, bought the city’s water and city utilities in a deal worth $1.9 billion. Citizens Water turned a profit last year of $53.4 million, dwarfing the returns of its gas, thermal and other divisions.•