City of Hays
The City of Hays is notifying residents of delays in generating monthly water bills due to a technical issue impacting a third-party data service provider.
The issue, which originated outside city control, has temporarily affected the city's internal billing processes.
According to Director of Finance Kim Rupp, the city was first notified of the issue by their external service provider last week.
The vendor handles data services critical to the city's ability to create and distribute monthly water billing statements.
“The problem arose unexpectedly with our vendor’s internal systems, which has prevented us from generating water bills on schedule this month,” Rupp said. “We’re in continuous communication with the vendor, and they've assured us they are working urgently toward a solution.”
City officials emphasized that while they expect a resolution soon, no exact timeline can currently be guaranteed.
The vendor continues efforts to rectify the technical malfunction and has indicated significant progress, but the precise completion date remains uncertain.
“Unfortunately, the nature of this issue means our hands are tied until our vendor completes their repairs,” Rupp said. “We appreciate our residents’ patience and understanding as we work through this unexpected situation.”
Residents may have already noticed their water bills did not arrive at their usual time this month.
The city typically sends out billing statements regularly throughout the month, and the current delay has impacted a significant number of accounts.
Rupp noted that while new bills cannot currently be generated or paid, residents who previously received their bills can still make payments using regular methods, including online, mail, or in-person options.
“The issue does not affect bills already sent out prior to this issue,” Rupp said. “If you have an existing bill, please continue to pay that bill normally.”
The City Clerk’s Office and Finance Department will resume processing and mailing of new water bills immediately upon restoration of the vendor’s services.
Once residents receive their delayed billing statements, they can pay using the standard payment methods without additional steps required.
City officials expressed regret for any inconvenience this issue may cause and remain committed to keeping residents informed of any updates regarding the timeline and resolution.
“We sincerely apologize to our residents for this disruption in our normal billing processes,” Rupp said. “This issue highlights our reliance on certain external providers and the impact these unforeseen events can have. We remain committed to providing timely information as we receive updates from the vendor.”
Residents with specific questions or concerns related to their water billing can reach out directly to the City Clerk and Finance Department by phone at 785-628-7300 or via the City of Hays website, haysusa.com.