Seminole County closes Lake Mary Boulevard utility payment drop box

Seminole County has permanently closed the Utilities payment drop box at 500 W. Lake Mary Boulevard in Sanford, ending the in-person pay option that many residents and businesses used for water and sewer bills. The county said the change is tied to a Utilities Department relocation to a new facility, but the practical effect is immediate: customers must stop using the old drop box and move to another payment method.

The closure is likely to hit hardest for older residents, small business owners and anyone who has relied on paper checks or an in-person drop-off instead of digital banking. For those customers, the lost drop box is more than a minor convenience. It removes a familiar payment point and raises the risk of missed deadlines or unnecessary trips to a site that is no longer accepting utility payments.

Seminole County is steering customers toward E-Billing and Auto-Pay, along with its online utility billing system. Through the online portal, customers can review payment history, pending payments and account status from home. The county says sign-in is secured with a one-time code sent to the customer’s email, a sign that the utility system is trying to reduce dependence on walk-up service as it shifts operations.

The county’s utilities pages say billing begins with meter reading, which is transferred electronically into the computer system. Seminole County Utilities also handles drinking water, wastewater, reclaimed water and customer service for solid waste-related accounts, so the shift affects more than a single bill type. Residents looking for help can contact Seminole County Water & Wastewater Customer Service at 407-665-2110. Utilities Operations is also listed at 500 W. Lake Mary Blvd. in Sanford, with a separate number, 407-665-2019.

The closure marks another step in Seminole County’s move toward online account management and away from physical payment handling. For customers who still depend on mailed checks, office visits or cash-style routines built around the old drop box, the county’s message was plain: update payment habits now, before the next bill is due.