Williamsburg to offer paperless water bills

WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg City Council agreed to email water bills rather than sending them in the mail for people who prefer the paperless option.

The one-time startup cost for the system will be $4,435, and the yearly cost will be $756.

Williamsburg City Clerk Sara Fricke said people had asked her for the email option. “It’ll pay off in postage,” said Fricke. “Postage keeps going up.”

The city will still send bills in the mail to people who prefer that option. “You’re going to have your generations that don’t want email,” she told the council.

City councilman Tyler Marshall said using less paper, ink and labor will contribute to the cost savings.

“And this is the way the future’s going. Let’s be real,” Fricke said.

One drawback is that the city won’t be able to add newsletter items to the emailed bill as they did the physical bill. But the city can put that information on Facebook, he said.

Marshall suggested sending a newsletter by email separate from the water bills.

The council will consider a resolution to begin the email bills during its next meeting, Monday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m.

The city will need to formulate a plan to make the transition, Marshall said.