Sometimes customers a little more time is needed to pay the water/sewer bill due to unusual circumstances. Our extensions and Deferred Payment Plans offer qualifying customers the chance to extend the disconnect date for the current bill by either one week, Extension, or payments scheduled to be received up to one week prior to the next quarterly bill, Deferred Payment Plan.

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Determining Eligibility

• The customer’s payment history
• Age of past-due amount
• Eligibility if a tenant
• Timeliness of prior payments, including disconnections for nonpayment on past requests

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How They Work

Extensions and Deferred Payment Plans must be submitted prior to your scheduled disconnect date, preferrably, prior to your due date noted on your bill. You can only select one or the other form. You cannot request an extension and later request a payment plan. Submitting either form does not guarantee approval. An email will be sent indicating if it's been approved, denied or changes need to be made for it to be approved.

If you request a week’s extension, we will review the status of your water/sewer account to determine if a payment extension can be granted. If your account is eligible, we will offer you a week’s extension from the scheduled disconnect date to pay your bill. Only two extensions can be requested per calendar year.

Extensions and deferred payment plans do not prevent your payment from being considered late, which could lead to additional charges. Your account will incur a late payment charge of 10% of your unpaid bill and 3% interest charged on any amounts in arrears if payment is not received in full until after the due date.

If you are a tenant, we must have a renter’s form on file from your landlord. Without this form we are unable to approve any extensions or deferred payment plan requests. A Deferred Payment Plan requires landlord approval each time a request is submitted. It is the tenant's responsibility to make sure the landlord sends us directly written approval to wsbilling@charlescountymd.gov. A copy of the payment plan will be sent to the owner if the request is approved.

In addition, deferred payment plans require:

• Your first payment, minimum of $50, must be made prior to your request or immediately after. If made online please provide the Remittance Id #.
• The last payment must be one week prior to your next billing date, 3 months from your last read date indicated on your bill.
• Payments cannot be more than 1 month apart.
• Payments per month must be a minimun of $50 for invoices over $250.
• Any request received on the scheduled disconnect date may be denied. Changes may need to be made to the form or it may not be reviewed in time before water disconnections begin.
• If the water is disconnected, payment in full will need to be made before services will be reconnected.

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Defaulting on an Extension or Deferred Payment Plan

Please pay timely, if you fail to pay by the scheduled date(s) approved for an extension, your water services may be disconnected without notice.

If you are on a deferred payment plan and your water is disconnected for nonpayment, you will be in default of your plan and will be required to pay in full to have your services restored. If you have any questions or concerns about your payment, please contact our office immediately before your water is turned off.

In addition, if you have been late making payments on any extension or payment plans requests twice or more within the last 12 months, you may be denied any further extensions or payment plans until you’ve paid your bill on time over a 1 year period from your last request.

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Confirmation

Please remember all requests, extension or deferred payment plans, must be received no later than the prior business day of the scheduled disconnect date. This includes landlord approval if you are a tenant. If water is disconnected and the request was sent the same day as the disconnection, you will need to pay in full to get your water reconnected. You will receive an online confirmation regarding if your request was approved, changes are needed, or denied by email within 24 business hours. If you do not an email from the Water/Sewer Billing Office please contact us at 301-645-0624. However, first please check to see the email is not in your junk mail.

Select one of the following links to make your request:

• Payment Extension
• Deferred Payment Plan Request