OnlineWaterBill Service Agreement

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.

Clear terms

Platform services, Stripe-backed payments, and responsibilities for associations and OWB.

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This Service Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between OnlineWaterBill (“OWB”), a sole proprietorship based in Pelsor, Arkansas, and the undersigned water association or utility (“Association”).

1. Purpose

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.

2. Services provided

OWB will provide access to its platform, which may include:

  • Online bill presentment and payment processing
  • Meter reading tools (including mobile access and GPS features)
  • Customer account access and billing history
  • Administrative tools for billing, reporting, and communication

OWB may update or improve the platform at any time.

3. Responsibilities

OWB responsibilities

OWB agrees to:

  • Provide access to the platform and related services
  • Use reasonable efforts to maintain system availability
  • Provide onboarding support and basic customer assistance

Association responsibilities

The Association agrees to:

  • Provide accurate and complete current customer and billing data needed to operate accounts in the platform
  • Retain and maintain historical billing and usage records from before OWB or from other systems; OWB does not import that legacy history
  • Set and manage billing rates, fees, and policies
  • Handle customer disputes and account decisions
  • Comply with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations
  • Ensure proper authorization for individuals using the system

OWB is not responsible for errors resulting from incorrect data provided by the Association.

4. Fees and payment structure

  • OWB charges a one-time fee for setup and onboarding; the amount is quoted or shown before the Association commits
  • OWB may earn revenue through convenience fees (for example when customers pay online), optional services (such as print-and-mail through partners like MailCo USA when you use that workflow), and similar add-ons
  • Stripe and card networks may charge separate payment processing fees that vary by payment method; those are disclosed by Stripe and/or in checkout

Fee schedules, quotes, and in-product disclosures are the controlling description of what applies to the Association. 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); changes do not apply retroactively to amounts already invoiced by OWB to the Association unless required by law or payment networks.

5. Payment processing, funds, and chargebacks

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:

  • Comply with Stripe’s terms and policies applicable to its account
  • Use OWB only for authorized collection activity on its own behalf
  • Maintain any registrations, disclosures, or customer notices its regulators or Stripe require for accepting payments

6. Data ownership, quality, and termination

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.

7. Term and termination

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.

8. Limitation of liability

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 convenience 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.

9. Disputes and governing 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.

10. Entire agreement; order of documents

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).