Contract terms between OnlineWaterBill (OWB) and your water association or utility: what we provide, what you provide, fees, payments through Stripe, data ownership, term, and liability. For support and hosting commitments, see the Support Agreement & SLA.
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This Service Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Online Water Bill LLC (“OWB”), an Arkansas limited liability company doing business as OnlineWaterBill, and the undersigned water association or utility (“Association”).
OWB provides a software platform that enables water associations to manage billing, accept payments, record meter readings, and communicate with customers.
By signing this Agreement, the Association agrees to use OWB for these services under the terms outlined below.
This Agreement is the primary commercial and risk-allocation document for use of the platform. It should be read together with the Support Agreement & SLA, which covers support hours, ticketing, hosting, and uptime targets. The SLA is incorporated when you sign this Agreement; you do not sign the SLA separately.
OWB will provide access to its platform, which may include:
OWB may update or improve the platform at any time.
OWB agrees to:
The Association agrees to:
OWB is not responsible for errors resulting from incorrect data provided by the Association.
All communications between the Association and OWB are recorded. That includes telephone calls, email, support tickets, and other messages between the Association and OWB. OWB retains those records for support, quality, training, security, and the parties’ records. The Association will tell its officers, employees, and other representatives that these communications are recorded.
The Association’s fees follow the sales agreement in effect when the Association signs. A signed quote or order form states the Association’s active connection count and the amounts that apply. If a signed quote states the amounts, the quote controls.
The Association pays a one-time implementation fee based on its active service connections at the start of onboarding. The signed quote states the amount. Hardware, travel, onsite services, extensive data cleanup, and unusual custom work are quoted separately.
Separate from payment processing and mailing charges. The monthly platform amount will not increase for the life of the partnership. It is set at launch, or as stated on the signed quote, and is not raised if connections grow or if rates later change.
The monthly platform fee covers:
The customer pays an OWB Service Fee plus Stripe processing when they pay a bill online. The Association is not billed that service fee. Cash, check, and money order have no OWB Service Fee. Processing rates are those disclosed by Stripe and at checkout.
Automated mailing is optional. When the Association uses it, the charge per printed and mailed bill is the amount on the signed quote. Self-print postcard mailing is also available.
OWB may change its own fees and disclosed add-on pricing for future billings or renewals with reasonable advance notice (for example by email, in-app notice, or updated quote), except the monthly platform amount, which will not increase for the life of the partnership. Changes do not apply retroactively to amounts already invoiced by OWB to the Association unless required by law or payment networks.
Stripe as processor. Card and bank payments are processed by Stripe (or its affiliates) under Stripe’s terms, rules, and compliance programs. OWB provides software and integration; OWB is not the licensed money transmitter or card processor and is not a bank.
Role of OWB. OWB may facilitate routing of customer payments to the Association using Stripe and account configuration the Association approves. That facilitation is not a guarantee of settlement timing, approval of every transaction, or freedom from holds, reserves, or compliance actions Stripe may impose.
Funds. Customer payments are for the Association’s water and related charges as presented in the platform. Settlement, payout timing, pass-through of amounts, and any platform routing are governed by Stripe’s agreement with the Association (or the payout structure OWB configures with the Association’s participation), as disclosed during onboarding. Nothing in this Agreement assigns ownership of customer funds to OWB.
Chargebacks, reversals, and disputes. The Association is responsible for the accuracy and lawfulness of what it bills customers and for the outcome of Stripe disputes, chargebacks, and returned payments, including associated Stripe or network fees, as between the Association and OWB, except to the extent caused solely by OWB’s uncorrected platform defect.
By using OWB, the Association agrees to:
The Association retains ownership of its customer and billing data entered or generated in the platform.
OWB may access and use this data solely to operate, maintain, and improve the platform.
After termination. Following written notice of termination, the Association may request an export of its data from the platform. OWB will provide a reasonable export (for example common tabular formats) within a commercially reasonable time. The Association should download and preserve exports before or shortly after the access end date; OWB may delete or archive tenant data thereafter per its retention and security policies, subject to law.
This Agreement is effective upon signing and continues on a month-to-month basis.
Either party may terminate this Agreement with 30 days written notice.
Termination does not excuse payment of fees already earned or pass-through processing costs incurred through the effective date. Data export is described in Section 6.
OWB does not determine whether any bill or rate is correct for a particular customer; the Association sets rates, reads, fees, and policies. OWB is not a party to disputes between the Association and its customers over amounts owed, except for providing the platform as configured.
To the fullest extent permitted by law:
OWB shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including loss of revenue, data, or business interruption.
OWB’s total liability under this Agreement shall not exceed the total fees collected by OWB from the Association in the previous three (3) months (OWB platform and service fees, not pass-through Stripe processing charges).
Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations; in that case OWB’s liability is limited to the maximum permitted by law.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Arkansas, excluding its conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Support Agreement & SLA, or use of the platform shall be resolved through: (1) good faith negotiation between the parties; (2) mediation if negotiation fails; (3) binding arbitration in Newton County, Arkansas, consistent with Section 18 of the SLA. Either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property, security, or confidential information.
This Agreement, together with the Support Agreement & SLA (incorporated by reference as described below) and any written quote or order form the Association signs for setup, constitutes the full understanding of the parties regarding the platform and related services described here, and supersedes prior oral or written understandings on the same subject.
The Support Agreement & SLA does not require a separate signature. It is accepted when the Association signs this Agreement, as the version published at onlinewaterbill.com/sla.html on the date of that signature (or as provided in writing with this Agreement).