City of Crooks, SD

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The Crooks Municipal Office will be closed Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1.  The City of Crooks is an equal opportunity provider.
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Customer information


Crooks Municipal Utilities services the city of Crooks with water, sewer and natural gas services. We provide natural gas services in the Renner-area and rural Sioux Falls-area.

All forms can be submitted to us electronically (deputyfo@crookssd.org), by mail (Crooks Municipal Utilities, PO BOX 785, Crooks, SD 57020), or in person (701 S West Ave, Crooks, SD).  You may also call the city office at 605-543-5238 option 1 or email deputyfo@crookssd.org to request the forms to be emailed to you for electronic signature via Docusign.


Frequently Asked Questions:

Q:  How do I set up a utility account?

A:  Contact the city office to be sent the application paperwork that can be filled out and returned electronically.  Or stop in the city office during regular business hours for a paper copy of the application.  A picture or copy of a government-issued form of identification is required.

Q:  How do I change any of my information on an existing utility account?
A:
  Contact the city office or fill out the form below.

Q:  I am moving.  What do I need to do?
A:
  Contact the city office to let us know the date someone else is taking over the utility account as well as your updated address and phone so that we can send you your final bill and return of utility deposit, if applicable.

Q:  How are utilities billed?
A:  Utilities are billed monthly.  Water, Sewer and Natural Gas(if applicable) are calculated on the same bill.  Crooks Municipal Utilities attempts to bill your account the same date each month, but this may vary due to weekends and holidays.  Bills should be mailed out by the 10th of the month, unless special circumstances cause a delay.

Q:  How can I receive my bill?
A: 
Bills can be mailed as paper postcards or emailed.  Contact the city office to sign up for emailed bills.  After signing up, be sure to check junk mail as it may end up there until the vendor's email address is marked as a contact.   Failure to receive a utility bill does not relieve you of the responsibility of payment, assessment of late fees, or service disconnection.  If you did not receive your bill, contact the city office at 605-543-5238 option 1 for a copy.

Q:  What are all of my payment options?

A:  You may drop a check off at the city office in the dropbox at any time.  Check and cash payments may be made in the city office during regular business hours.  Do not leave cash in the dropbox.  

You may sign up through the city office for automatic payments from a checking account.  There is no fee for this service.  Contact the city office for the form and return with a voided check.  Automatic payments come out of your account on the 25th of the month unless the bank is closed for the weekend or holiday, then it comes out on the next business day.  You will still receive your bill in the mail at the beginning of the month, so if there are any questions or concerns with the payment amount, contact the city office before the 20th of the month if you do not want automatic payment to be made that month. 

Payments can be made through a vendor site linked from the city website or by calling the city office to pay over the phone.  Convenience fees do apply to all electronic payments.  You may also initiate payment from your bank, but note that a paper check is printed and mailed to the city office, so be sure to leave plenty of time for it to be received by the city before the due date.

Initiated payments must be received by the city by the deadline.  Pending payments or payments that arrive after the deadline will not be counted as on time.

Q:  What is the due date for my utility payment?
A:  The due date is the 5th day of the month, unless the 5th falls on a holiday or weekend.  Then it is due by 8 am on the following business day.  Funds for payments submitted through a banking institution or the online vendor Payment Services Network must be received by the city by the due date.  Initiated payments that have not been received do not count as being on time. 

Q:  What is the late fee for payments not received by the due date?
A:  Accounts with balances after the due date will incur a late fee.  As of Summer 2022 the late fee is $15.00.   Failure to pay the balance owed by the 21st of the month will result in services being disconnected and a $50 reconnect fee being assessed to the account.  All balances owed plus the reconnect fee must be paid prior to services being restored.

Q:  If I have a water leak, can my bill be adjusted?
A:  The utility customer is responsible for paying for all water measured by the water meter.  

Q:  What if I can't pay my bill on time?
A:  If you cannot pay your bill on time, or can only make a partial payment, contact the city office at 605-543-5238 option 1 to determine if you are eligible to set up payment arrangements.  Eligibility depends on payment history, status of the account and other relevant circumstances.  Payment arrangements cannot be made on accounts that are already disconnected due to nonpayment.

Q:  What if I did not receive my bill in the mail?
A:  Failure to receive a utility bill does not relieve you of the responsibility of payment, assessment of late fees, or service disconnection.  If you did not receive your bill, contact the city office at 605-543-5238 option 1 for a copy.

Q:  Why does Crooks Municipal Utilities charge a deposit and when is it returned?
A:  A deposit is required to ensure that a customer's final bill will be paid.  Deposits reduce the amount of bad debt expense, which in turn, saves all customers money by helping to keep utility rates lower.  A deposit must be paid prior to utility service being established or will be billed on the first month's utility bill.  The deposit will be applied to the customer's final bill.  Any balance remaining on the deposit after the final bill has been paid will be refunded to the customer by check, so be sure to contact the city office with any address changes.

The deposits as of November 2022 are $50 for water service and $100 for natural gas service.  Deposits must be paid at time of signing up for service on paid with the first month's utility bill.

Q:  What do the charges on my bill mean?
A:
PREV BAL Previous Balance carried forward from previous billing cycles
LATE FEE Fee added to accounts that have a previous balance over $10
RECEIPT Payments made since the last billing
GAS Charge based on metered gas usage
CUSTOMER CHG Flat rate maintenance charge for being connected to gas system
WATER BASE Flat rate charge for being connected to water system
WATER Charge based on metered water usage
SEWER BASE Flat rate charge for being connected to sewer system
SEWER Charge based on metered water usage
CW-04 SURCH Flat rate charge for repayment of a sewer improvement loan
CW-05 SURCH Flat rate charge for repayment of a sewer improvement loan
DW-03 SURCH Flat rate charge for repayment of a drinking water improvement loan
WATER DEPOSIT One time deposit for Water services.  Will be applied to final bill.
DEPOSIT-GAS One time deposit for Gas services.  Will be applied to final bill.
CITY TAX City sales tax on gas charges
STATE TAX State sales tax on gas charges
CUR CHRGS Total of all the charges from the current billing cycle
TOTAL DUE Total of current charges and previous balances
RECONNECT GAS Fee applied to account when service has been shut off for non-payment.  Must be paid before service can be restored.  Fee also applies when customer requests service be shut off for any reason.
NSF Charge Fee applied to account when payment has been returned by the bank for any reason.
RECONNECT WATER Fee applied to account when service has been shut off for non-payment.  Must be paid before service can be restored.  Fee also applies when customer requests service be shut off for any reason.
   

Q:  What are the water, sewer and gas rates.
A:  Rates can change at any time and may not be updated on the city website.  Contact the city office for the most current rates.  As of 01/01/2024:

Water Base Rate   $31.00
Water per 1000 gallons   $5.75
Sewer Base Rate   $42.75
Sewer per 1000 gallons   $2.60
Gas Customer Charge Crooks Resident:  $11.00
Crooks Commercial:  $21.00
Crooks Small Commercial:  $11.00
Renner/SF Resident:  $15.00
Renner/SF Commercial:  $25.00
Renner/SF Small Commercial:  $15.00
CW-04 Surcharge $9.20
CW-05 Surcharge $4.00
DW-03 Surcharge $14.25
Late Fee $15.00

     
Q:  Can I receive my bill through email?
A:  Yes!  Contact the city office to have your bill emailed.  Note that emailed bills are sent through a vendor and often end up in the junk folder.  Check there and mark the address as a safe sender so it will go to your inbox.

Q:  Can I pay my bill automatically without a convenience fee?
A:  Yes, contact the city office for the Authorization for Direct Payment form, fill out and return with a voided check.  Payments are then automatically deducted from your bank account on the 25th of the month, unless the 25th is a day when banks are closed, then it will be deducted on the next day banks are open.  There is no charge for the Direct Payment option through the city.  You can pay your utility bill through the vendor on our city website, however convenience fees do apply to any transactions initiated through the vendor.  You may also pay your bill through your bank.  Note that banks print a paper check that is mailed to the city, so ensure any payments initiated through our online vendor or your bank are done with enough time before the due date so that you do not incur a late fee.  Initiated/pending payments do not count.  The city must receive the check or funds prior to the due date to avoid late fees.

Q:  Do I still pay a utility bill if I am gone for an extended period?
A:
Yes, as of February 2022, there is no longer a "snowbird" discount.  All properties connected to water, sewer and/or natural gas services will be charged the base rates and surcharges for each service.

Q:  I am on energy assistance, what part of my bill do they cover?
A:
  Always contact DSS for specific questions as their policies may change.  As of November 2022, they cover the GAS, CUSTOMER CHG, CITY TAX, and STATE TAX line items on your bill.  If you live outside of Crooks and only have natural gas service from Crooks Municipal Utilities, that is everything on your bill.  If you live in Crooks and also receive water and sewer services from Crooks Municipal Utilities, you will need to deduct the cost of gas services covered by energy assistance from your bill and remit payment for the water and sewer services by the due date to avoid late fees.

Q:  I am on energy assistance.  What months does energy assistance apply?
A:  Always contact DSS for specific questions as their policies may change.  As of November 2022, they cover gas expenses incurred in the month of October which we bill at the beginning of November and is due December 5th, through charges incurred in the month of April, which is billed at the beginning of May and is due June 5th.
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  • ACH withdrawal form
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    Form to enroll in City-initiated ACH tihdrawal
  • Customer service application
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