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Utilities
Electricity
Nebraska is the only state in the nation served with electricity totally from public power. Nebraska's public utilities have ample electric generating capacity to meet present and future needs at a cost far below the national average.The Western Area Power Association (WAPA) provides the majority of the city's electrical consumption while Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) provides the remainder of Wisner's usage. In addition to WAPA and MEAN power, the city owns a generation plant which remains operable and is used from time to time during maintenance periods and emergencies.
Utilities
Responsibilities & Services
The Utilities Department operates the City of Wisner’s:
• Electrical distribution system
• Sanitary sewer system
• Solid waste collection system
• Water distribution system
• Gas distribution system
Related Resources
• New Accounts
• Billing Information
• Reconnection Policy
• 2015 Water Quality Report
Contact:
Randy Woldt
Utilities Superintendent
rwoldt1958@gmail.com
1111 Avenue E
Wisner, NE. 68791
(402) 529-6616
Hours
Monday-Friday
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The City of Wisner retails natural gas supplied by Nebraska Public Gas Association within the community limits. K N Interstate is the pipeline supplier.
HOW TO PREVENT GAS EMERGENCIES:
Keep all appliances cleaned, properly vented and serviced regularly.
Make sure everyone in your family knows how to operate gas appliances and shut-off valves.
Don’t use a gas oven for heating your home or drying clothes.
Don’t use or store gasoline, aerosols or other products with flammable vapors near gas appliances.
Whenever changing your furnace filter be sure to replace the compartment door.
Never cover fresh air vents that supply air to your gas appliances.
Have all gas line alterations and appliance repairs performed by a professional.
Before digging in your yard, be sure you know the location of all underground lines.
Call DIGGERS HOTLINE OF NEBRASKA
8-1-1
“It’s The Law!!”
Write your fire and police department phone numbers and our emergency service number in the front of your phone book. The numbers are:
911 - Fire, Police and Ambulance.
City Office – 1-402-529-6616
After hours - 1-888-529-6616.
ANY TIME YOU SUSPECT A GAS LEAK OR GAS EMERGENCY, CALL THE WISNER CITY OFFICE. OUR EMPLOYEES ARE TRAINED TO HANDLE GAS EMERGENCIES AND WILL RESPOND TO EMERGENCY CALLS PROMPTLY.
Water
The municipal water system in Wisner is supplied by 2 wells, which have an average depth of 125 feet. The system has a combined pumping capacity of 1,000 gallons per minute and an overhead storage of 120,000 gallons.The level of nitrates in the water has recently measured at a concentration level that is above the standard. For this, anyone who is pregnant, nursing, or infants under the age of 6 months is being supplied bottled water. You can register at the City Office for this.
The Wisner City Council is currently working with engineers to determine the best course of action to improve this water issue.
Wisner has a municipal sanitary sewage system and a partial storm sewer system. The Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) sewage treatment system, completed in 2002, has a daily capacity of 320,000 gallons.
Solid Waste
Privately owned waste removal services are available in Wisner. The city owns a trash compactor and transfer station. Wastes are hauled to a landfill located in Jackson, Nebraska, 60 miles northeast of Wisner.
City Dump Hours of Operation:
Mon. & Wed. - 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Saturdays - 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Utility meters are read on the 15th depending on when the 15th falls. It usually takes 2 days to read meters. The bills are sent out around the 22nd of each month. They are due upon receipt but we give customers until the 10th of the following month.
Depending on what day of the week the 10th falls on, disconnect notices are sent out on the 11th with a 10% penalty amount added to the past due amount. If the 10th falls on a weekend or a holiday, the customers get the next full business day to pay their bill. The following day, disconnect notices are then sent out. Customers get 7 business days to pay this bill, which the date is shown on the disconnect notice. Upon the arrival of the disconnect date, the following procedures will take place.
1. Payment arrangements shall be made prior to disconnection on or before disconnect date. No later than 10AM on disconnect date.
a. Upon making an arrangement, 50% of the past due amount needs to be paid and the remaining balance can be paid no more than 2 weeks after the disconnect date. If they do not appear on or before the 2 weeks are over, their electric service will be shut off. The customer will then need to pay the total amount that is owed plus the $30 reconnection fee to be turned back on. This will get the account balance to $0.00.
b. No payment arrangement will be given over the phone. Customers with delinquent accounts must appear in person to apply for a payment arrangement.
c. Customers will only be eligible for a payment arrangement plan three times during a 12-month period of time. The 12 months will start at the time of the first payment arrangement plan rather than the beginning of a calendar year.
2. If no payment arrangement is made on or before 10AM on the disconnect date then the Utility Clerk/Office Manager and Office Assistant will go through the list of customers that have not made a payment arrangement or paid and get the Utility Superintendent a list of addresses and the amount past due as well as the reconnect fee totals. The Utility Superintendent will send out one or two of the utility guys to do the electric disconnections.
a. The customers’ electric service will be shut off. The customers full past due must be paid in full plus a $30 reconnect fee. However, we will not do disconnections on Fridays to avoid having employees called in after hours and the customers having to pay extra fees. Reconnections will only be made during regular business hours.
b. During the course of the disconnection process, if a city employee goes to the address to make a disconnection and the customer wants to pay their past due amount to avoid a disconnection, a $25 pickup fee is charged and needs to be paid at that time also.
i. If a city guy goes to the address to make a disconnection and the customer can’t make a full payment, they will be able to use 1 of their 3 payment arrangements (refer to 1c). Half of the past due amount must be paid plus the $25 pick-up fee must be paid at the time of signing the payment agreement. Customers must sign agreements in the office. If half the amount due plus the $25 pick-up fee is not paid by 3pm on shut off day, their electric service will be shut off.
ii. According to Resolution 2020-6, after three times of having a City of Wisner employee sent to a customer’s premises to collect a delinquent utility bill, they shall be charged $50.00 each time.
The City of Wisner provides incentive to upgrade home insulation
With cooler temperatures of fall arriving, now is a good time to make energy effiency upgrades for the upcoming colder months.
The City of Wisner, in partnership with its wholesale electric power supplier, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, provides a financial incentive for upgrading attic insulation to residential homes. The Attic Insulation Program provides cash incentives of $0.15/per square foot with a maximum incentive of $300 per existing residential dwelling for attic insulation.
The program is among a suite of five energy efficiency programs offered through the City of Wisner. Each program provides cash incentives for homeowners to make energy efficiency upgrades.
The other programs include:
High Efficiency Heat-Up Program
Provides cash incentives from $400 to $3,000 to residential homeowners who are installing a new heat pump system to their residential single-family dwelling.
Smart Thermostat Program
Provides a cash incentive of up to $100 paid directly to residential customers to help cover the cost of installing a qualifying smart thermostat.
Cooling System Tune-Up Program
Provides a $30 cash incentive to residential homeowners who have their cooling system tuned up by a HVAC contractor, regardless of what type or age of cooling system (air conditioner/air or water source heat pump).
Commercial LED Lighting Program
Provides cash incentives paid directly to commercial customers to help cover the cost of lighting upgrades and replacements.
For more information on each program, contact the City of Wisner or go to https://mean.nmppenergy.org/about/energy-efficiency-programs to download program guidelines and application forms.
You may always contact other departments to seek assistance as well.
Northeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership in Pender - 402-385-6300
State of Nebraska Energy Assistance - 1-800-383-4278 or fill out an application at ACCESSNebraska
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program makes available funds to assist Nebraska households, subject to income qualifications, that are unable to pay rent or utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nebraska anticipates operating the ERA Program until funding is no longer available from the U.S. Treasury, or until September 30, 2022.
We encourage customers/households to visit the State of Nebraska’s website at coronavirus.nebraska.gov for more information and how to apply. You may also call the contact center at (833) 500-8810 for more information from Monday to Friday from 8AM to 5PM Central Time.