Help shape the future of Santa Barbara's Waterfront! Respond to our survey at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/WaterfrontSurvey.
¡Ayúdanos a dar forma al futuro de la zona costera de Santa Bárbara! Responde a nuestra encuesta en SantaBarbaraCA.gov/WaterfrontSurvey.

18380

All SBPL locations will be closed on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 (5/5/26) for a staff training.

Eastside and Montecito Libraries will close at 2pm on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 (5/6/26) for a staff training.

18362
ID
A person holding a credit card in one hand while typing with the other hand on a laptop computer
Title

Pay Your Utility Bill by ACH to Avoid Processing Fees

Authored on
Body

On June 1, 2025, the City of Santa Barbara transitioned to a new fee structure for all credit card and debit card payments. Customers paying their utility bills online, in-office, and by AutoPay (recurring payments) with a credit or debit card will also pay the processing fee of 2.95% or a minimum processing fee of $2.95.

To avoid the credit card processing fee, City of Santa Barbara utility bill customers can pay their water, sewer, and trash and recycling bills via ACH (Automated Clearing House) by providing a bank routing and account number. ACH is the primary system that agencies use for electronic funds transfer (EFT). With ACH, funds are electronically deposited in financial institutions, and payments are made online.

Water, sewer, and trash and recycling customers have 24/7 access to pay utility bills online, utilize tools, data, and information to help monitor and manage their water use, and receive leak alerts through WaterSmart, the City's online customer portal. To add or change a payment method, sign up or sign in to WaterSmart at SantaBarbara.WaterSmart.com. 

WaterSmart