The Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) voted this week to give customers a one-month grace period for paying annual water bills due July 1, the district announced today.

According to a release, PWFD board chair Phil Driscoll indicated that the district has historically given a 15-day grace period for the annual payments, but felt a full month would be more appropriate given the slow economy and the higher water overage charges due to last year’s water rate increase. Driscoll noted that moving the grace period to the end of the monthly billing cycle will also improve the efficiency of processing of late charges.

Driscoll said that with the new meter reading system currently being installed and a planned billing software upgrade, the Board expects to switch to quarterly billing for all customers in the spring of 2013, which should make payments more manageable.

Annual water bills will now be due by 4 p.m. on August 1 to avoid a late charge or interest charge.

Editorial note: Written from a press release.