Your Complete Guide to BGMU Bill Pay: Options, Tips & Tricks

Let me share everything you need to know about paying your BGMU bills with as little hassle as possible. As a Bowling Green resident myself, I’ve been dealing with these utility payments for years and picked up some useful knowledge along the way.

What is BGMU?

BGMU (Bowling Green Municipal Utilities) provides essential services to approximately 32,000 customers in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They manage electric, water/wastewater, fiber internet, and voice services from their headquarters at 801 Center Street.

Ways to Pay Your BGMU Bill

We’ve all been there – the bill arrives and we need to figure out the best way to pay it BGMU offers several payment options

1. SmartHub App (Most Convenient)

BGMU’s SmartHub app is probably the easiest way to manage your account. I’ve been using it for about two years now, and it’s super convenient.

To get started

Download the SmartHub app on your mobile device
Search for “Bowling Green Municipal Utilities”
Tap “Confirm”
Use your existing login info or create a new account
Pay bills, check usage, and view billing history

The app works great for monitoring your usage patterns, which has actually helped me lower my monthly bills by identifying peak usage times.

2. Online Payment Portal

If you prefer using a computer, you can access your account at https://bgmu.smarthub.coop/.

The online portal offers similar features to the app:

Make one-time payments
Set up auto-pay
View billing history
Monitor utility usage

3. Phone Payments

For those who don’t like dealing with apps or websites, you can pay by phone at 855-940-3824. It’s a bit old-school, but works perfectly fine when you’re in a hurry.

4. In-Person Payments

Sometimes I just prefer talking to a real person. BGMU’s office is located at:

801 Center Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm (except holidays)

5. Mail-In Payments

If you’re the type who likes to keep things traditional, you can mail your payment to:

BGMU
P.O. Box 10300
Bowling Green, KY 42102-7300

Just make sure to mail it early enough to avoid late fees!

Understanding Your BGMU Bill

When I first moved to Bowling Green, I was confused by all the charges on my utility bill. Here’s a breakdown of what you might see:

Base charges: Fixed fees just for having service
Usage charges: Based on how much electricity/water you use
Taxes: Kentucky sales tax (thanks to House Bill 8)
Sanitation fees: For waste management services

Tips to Reduce Your BGMU Bill

After a particularly painful summer bill a few years ago, I started implementing these strategies:

For Electric Bills:

Adjust your thermostat (78°F in summer, 68°F in winter)
Use ceiling fans to improve air circulation
Replace air filters regularly
Unplug electronics when not in use
Switch to LED bulbs (they last WAY longer too)

For Water Bills:

Fix leaking faucets and toilets promptly
Install low-flow showerheads
Run dishwasher and washing machine with full loads only
Water lawns early morning or evening to reduce evaporation

What to Do During Outages

Power outages are annoying, but BGMU has a pretty good system for handling them:

Report electric outages at 270-782-4302
Sign up for the Outage Text System to receive alerts
Check BGMU’s social media for updates

One time during a big storm, we lost power for about 6 hours. I was able to text BGMU for updates and got regular responses about restoration progress.

Financial Assistance Programs

If you’re struggling to pay your bill (we’ve all been there!), BGMU offers:

Customer Assistance Program (CAP): Provides financial help to qualifying customers
Payment arrangements: Contact customer service at 270-782-1200 to discuss options

Renewable Energy Options

BGMU has begun offering renewable energy programs. I haven’t participated yet, but I’m considering it for my next home.

BGMU Services Beyond Bill Pay

While we’re focusing on bill payment, it’s worth mentioning BGMU provides:

Electric service (maintaining 360 miles of distribution lines)
Water/Wastewater service (with capacity to treat 45 million gallons daily)
BGMU Fiber (spanning almost 16,000 miles with 10 Gigabit services for businesses)
BGMU Voice (supporting over 8,000 phone lines)

Fun Facts About BGMU

Some interesting tidbits I’ve learned about our local utility provider:

BGMU’s record winter demand was 160.68 MW (set in January 2014)
The highest summer demand was 209.44 MW (August 2007)
They maintain almost 3,450 street light poles
The water system includes 2,515 fire hydrants
Their fiber network has nearly 1,000 access points throughout the system

Common BGMU Bill Pay Problems & Solutions

Problem 1: Forgot Your Password

Solution: Use the “Forgot Password” option on SmartHub or call 270-782-1200 for assistance.

Problem 2: Bill Seems Unusually High

Solution: Check for leaks, review your usage history in SmartHub, or request a meter check.

Problem 3: Payment Didn’t Process

Solution: Double-check your payment method details and contact customer service if issues persist.

Applying for New BGMU Service

If you’re new to Bowling Green (welcome!), here’s what you need to do:

Visit BGMU’s website
Complete the online application form
Provide required documentation
Pay any necessary deposits

My application process took about a day when I moved here, and they were super helpful in getting everything set up quickly.

Recent BGMU Updates

BGMU recently released their 2024 Water Quality Report, which you can view on their website. It’s actually pretty interesting to see where our water comes from and how it’s treated.

Customer Service Contact Information

If you have any questions about your bill or service:

Phone: 270-782-1200
Location: 801 Center Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

I’ve called them a couple times with billing questions, and they’re usually pretty fast to answer and helpful.

What I’ve Learned After Years with BGMU

After dealing with BGMU for several years, I’ve discovered that:

The SmartHub app is seriously the way to go – makes bill paying so much easier
Their customer service is actually pretty good compared to utilities I’ve dealt with in other cities
Setting up autopay saves a ton of hassle and prevents late fees
Monitoring your usage can help identify problems before they become expensive

Final Thoughts

BGMU bill payment doesn’t have to be complicated. With multiple payment options and helpful customer service, managing your utilities in Bowling Green can be relatively painless. I’ve found the SmartHub app to be the most convenient method, but everyone’s got their preference.

Got questions about BGMU bill payments that I didn’t cover? Drop a comment below and I’ll try to help out!

bgmu bill pay

Ways to Pay Your Bill

My Utility Account: Credit / Debit Card & Bank

My Utility Account, our online self-service portal, lets you make one-time or automatic payments with your credit card (VISA, Mastercard, Discover), debit card, or financial institution. My Utility Account is the only online bill payment service we recognize – and is the best way to ensure your bill is paid correctly and on time.
Bank Auto Pay

Automatic payment from your financial institution is a free, convenient way to pay your monthly bill. Your amount owing is automatically debited from your checking or savings account on the due date. To sign up for Auto Pay, please complete and send the Automatic Bill Payment Form to Customer Service.
Phone: eCheck & Credit / Debit Card

We use First Billing Services for pay-by-phone eCheck, credit and debit card payments. To use their Automated Payment System, call (888) 562-3451. First Billing Services will charge the following fees for this service. Residential eCheck = $0.99 fee credit/debit $0 – $75 = $1.99 fee credit/debit $75.01 – $5,000 = $2.25 fee Commercial eCheck = $0.99 fee credit/debit $1.00 – $5,000 = 2.45% fee
Mail: Check

Please attach the lower, detachable portion of your bill with mailed payments. Use the payee details in the Payment Remittance section to complete your check or money order, and write your 10-digit Account Number on the front. Do not send cash by mail. Mail payments to: PO Box 70723 Philadelphia, PA 19176-0723 Please allow ample time for mailed payments to reach our payment center.

Please note, we are not affiliated with any third-party bill payment services, such as Doxo or Mint. These services usually charge additional fees, and do not guarantee payments will reach us on time. This may result in late fees or disconnection of services. We strongly encourage you to use one of the above payment methods.

My Bill – Billing FAQ

Utility customers are commonly targeted by email, phone, and in-person scammers (criminals). Thats because no one wants to risk essential services being cut, and scammers take advantage of that vulnerability. Fortunately, there are some simple steps to protect yourself.

Stop and Think! Scammers rely on false urgency to get victims to act in haste. Stop and ask yourself: why is this person contacting me; and does ANYTHING seem suspicious?
Why Now? Why the Urgency? Is this person pressuring me to act in some way? Is this a demand for urgent payment or personal information (birth date, Social Security number, bank / credit account numbers, etc.)? NEVER give a stranger this type of information. As your utility, we already have the necessary information to provide your services.
Control the Conversation If you have ANY doubts about the legitimacy of someone contacting you, STOP! Take down the information you were given, note how and when you were contacted, then contact us using our phone number or email from your bill, this website, or My Utility Account. Do not use a number or email you were given, as these can be false.
In-Person Scams When someone comes to your door, it can be harder to follow the last 3 steps, especially if the person claims it’s an emergency. Remember, our field staff rarely make unscheduled home visits. If its a legitimate visit, our field service personnel will wait. If you are approached:

NEVER let someone into your home until youve verified their identity.
Ask to see their employee badge and note down their name and number.
Then ask them to wait until you’ve verified their identity by contacting us using our phone number from your bill, this website, or My Utility Account. Do not call a number the person has given you as it could be false.

Our Customer Service agents and field staff will never have a problem with you taking these precautions. If the person contacting you does, or becomes aggressive, chances are youre dealing with a scammer.

Suspected scams should be reported to Customer Service and local law enforcement.

Scammers are always finding new ways to take advantage of consumers. Learn more and stay one step ahead by visiting Utilities United Against Scams.