The Town of Apex will reinstate late fees and disconnections for utility accounts beginning July 1 as the town faces million in overdue balances, according to town officials.
Apex leaders are eyeing a return to normal procedures after a 2024 cyberattack impacted the town's billing system. Penalties for late payments have been paused for approximately 19 months.
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A return to the standards procedures plan presented earlier this month revealed 8% of Apex's active utility accounts total more than $4.1 million in balances that are past due over 90 days.
15% of accounts make up $5.9 million in balances that are overdue more than 30 days.
The presentation said in comparison, during June 2024, overdue balances of over 90 days totaled approximately $381,000.
"Those are dollars that we need, actually, for everything we do for capital expenses," Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert said. "We have operations here, and when that shortfall is there, it impacts our budget.
In an online post, Apex council member Terry Mahaffey wrote this week that the outstanding balances are threatening the financial stability of the utilities.
"...the lack of consistent payments from around 15% of our customers are putting further upward pressure on utility rates, at a time when we are already in an environment where rates are being driven higher," Mahaffey wrote.
Gilbert told WRAL that town staff will offer interest-free payment plans for customers with outstanding balances.
"They just didn't trust what was being presented to them, or they had other reasons of experiencing financial hardship, so I want to make sure we show compassion and empathy as we move forward together," Gilbert said.2
In July 2025, Apex transitioned to a new billing system following the cyberattack.
On Friday, WRAL talked with Apex utility customers who say they are still being overcharged or facing billing issues.
"I don't like to be called a customer here because a customer has a choice where they spend their money," said Apex utility customer Mike Davis, who worries the late fees are returning too soon. They need to make absolutely, 100% sure that everybody's bill is — every issue's been resolved, and everything's been fixed."
An update on the Town of Apex's website says the backlog of utility billing issues has been nearly resolved, and the percentage of bills being corrected monthly sits at or below 5%.
In an interview with WRAL, Gilbert stopped short of saying whether the gap could lead to higher water, sewer, and electric rates.
"Obviously, we're still forecasting. We're in our budget...We'll put the numbers together. We'll get staff to make recommendations on utility rates, and then we'll make sure we educate our community members accordingly," Gilbert said.
