A cybersecurity attack on a third-party processor has temporarily disabled online credit and debit card payments for San Angelo water bills. While city systems remain secure and no data was compromised, residents on autopay must use alternative payment methods until the service is restored.
The City of San Angelo is currently navigating a significant disruption to its water utility payment systems following a cyberattack on an external vendor. This third-party company is responsible for processing credit and debit card transactions, and the interference has effectively halted all online card payments since the incident began on February 6. City officials have been quick to clarify that the disruption originated entirely within the contractor's infrastructure rather than the city's internal network.
Importantly, the city has confirmed that there has been no data breach at the municipal level. According to the official announcement, no customer financial information or personal data was compromised during the attack. Furthermore, the InvoiceCloud platform, which residents use to manage their billing accounts and view statements, remains unaffected and fully operational for non-payment functions.
The outage creates a temporary hurdle for residents who rely on credit or debit card autopay systems. Because these automatic transactions cannot be processed through the compromised vendor, customers in this category are required to switch to an alternative payment method for the time being. The city has not yet provided a specific timeline for when the processing services will be back online, as they are dependent on the vendor’s recovery efforts.
To alleviate the burden on those affected, the city has implemented several grace measures. No late fees will be charged to customers whose autopayments were interrupted by the system failure. Additionally, the city has suspended all water service shutoffs for those impacted by the disruption, ensuring that residents do not lose access to essential utilities while the technical issues are being resolved.
In the interim, residents are encouraged to explore other ways to keep their accounts current. These options typically include paying by check or money order through the mail, using the city's drop box locations, or paying in person at the utility billing office. By offering these protections and alternatives, the city aims to minimize the impact of the vendor's cybersecurity crisis on the local community.
Source: City Water Bill Card Payments Disrupted Following Cyberattack