Sumter's Utility Billing Office to open at new location March 18

FROM STAFF REPORTS

If you try to pay your water bill at the rear of the Sumter Opera House on Friday, you may be surprised. The City of Sumter's Utility Billing Office is moving to its new location at 130 S. Harvin St. and will open on Monday, March 18. In order to accommodate the move, the current location will be closed on March 15; however, online payments and account information will remain available through the transition.

"We are truly happy and excited to relocate to our new office space on Harvin Street," Candi Quiroz, utility business director, said in a news release. "We're especially pleased to be able to move into a new building with significantly more space, while remaining in the downtown Sumter area."

The new facility will provide more private areas for customers opening new accounts and separate counters for those making a quick payment. A dedicated drive-thru has also been better designed so that it does not cross a pedestrian walkway.

The new facility was financed through the city's water and sewer bond.

"Rates were not increased to finance the new facility," City of Sumter Mayor Joe McElveen said in the release. "More than anything, this move represents our continued commitment to serving our customers by protecting their personal data and striving to decrease wait times."

For more information on the City of Sumter, visit www.sumtersc.gov.