NELSONVILLE, Ohio — New water customers in Nelsonville now have to put down a $150 deposit to start service, under a change the city’s Utility Department says took effect on October 26, 2026, according to a City of Nelsonville announcement.
The deposit is required under city ordinance 79-26, the Nelsonville Utility Department said in the announcement, which the Athens County Independent also reported on Nov. 2. The charge applies to new water customers opening an account with the city.
The money is refundable, according to the city. The deposit comes back when an account is closed and has been paid in full, the Utility Department said.
If a final bill is not fully paid, the City Auditor may apply the deposit to any unpaid portion of that final utility bill and refund the account holder the difference, according to the city’s announcement.
The deposit replaces the way the city previously handled new accounts and delinquent utility bills. The Athens County Independent reported that Nelsonville City Council discussed the change as part of a broader update to the city’s utility fee structure during its fall meetings.
For households moving into Nelsonville, the change means budgeting the $150 up front on top of any first bill — a real cost in a city where many renters and new homeowners are already watching utility expenses closely.
Because the deposit is refundable rather than a fee, a customer who keeps the account current and closes it paid in full gets the full $150 back, the city said. The auditor’s authority to apply the deposit to an unpaid final bill is the part that protects the city — and its other ratepayers — when someone moves out leaving a balance behind.
The change is a bookkeeping shift as much as a billing one: instead of chasing unpaid balances after a customer has already left, the city now holds security up front, in the same way many private landlords and utility companies do. City officials announced the requirement through the city’s information blog so new residents hear about it before they sign up for service, not when the first bill arrives.
Customers with questions can stop by the city’s utility office or contact it at 740-753-2151 or by email at [email protected], the city said. The new deposit has been in effect since October 26, so it already applies to accounts opened this week.
Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 2.5