Water & Sewer Billing

• I am a residential water/sewer customer, how can I calculate my bill using the tiered rate system?

  For Fiscal Rate Period between 7/01/2024 and 6/30/2025

  There are three rates for water and one for sewer in the tiered rate system for residential customers. Below is an example bill breakdown. You will need to add the account fee, $11.60, and the Bay Fee, $15.00 per quarter or $5.00 a month. Rates are subject to change every July for the new Fiscal Year.

  Water
  0 to 18,000 gals/qtr = $5.81
  18,001 - 24,000 gals/qtr = $11.62
  24,001 and above =$17.43

  Sewer
  24,000 and below = $13.11

  Any usage 1 to 18,000 gallons, the water rate is $5.81 per thousand gallons. Usage from 18,001 gallons to 24,000 the water rate is $11.62 per thousand gallons consumption. 
  Usage over 24,001 gallons per quarter will be billed at $17.43 per thousand gallons.

  The sewer will only be charged $13.11 per thousand gallons up to the usage amount of 24,000 gallons. Any additional usage will not be charged a sewer fee.

  As an example - If 50,000 gallons were used this quarter the breakdown would be:

  18/thou x $5.81 = $104.58
  6/thou (24 - 18) x $11.62 = $69.72
  26/thou (50 - 24) x $17.43 = $453.18
  Total Water Charge ($104.58 + $69.72 + $453.18) = $627.48
  Total Sewer = 24/thou x 13.11 = $314.64

  Total water/sewer bill for this example equals $942.12 ($627.48 for water + $314.64 for sewer)+($11.60 for account fee + $15.00 for bay fee).

• I live in or near Waldorf. Do you accept payments in Waldorf or do I have to go to LaPlata?

  The Treasurer's Office has a payment center in Waldorf as well as the main Treasurer's Office in the Government Building in LaPlata. The Waldorf Payment Center is located at the Sheriff's Office building at 3670 Leonardtown Rd. If you are coming from Route 301, take Leonardtown Rd. (Route 5), then a left on Vivian Adams Rd. On Vivian Adams Rd. take your immediate right behind Midas to reach the parking lot. This Satellite Center has its own separate entrance on the ground floor. There is also a Night Depository Box for those that cannot pay during business hours, which are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please do not mail payments to the Waldorf Payment Center. The Treasurer's Satellite Office does not have a mail receptacle.

• Do you accept water/sewer payments after hours?

  Yes. We have two locations that have Night Depository Boxes for after hour payments. Payments can be dropped off at the Government Building in LaPlata by the Atrium Entrance or at the Payment Center in the Sheriff's Office located at 3670 Leonardtown Rd. in Waldorf. (The Sheriff's Office is near the corner of Leonardtown Rd. (Rte. 5) and Vivian Adams Drive, next to Midas. The Night Depository Box is located at the alcove of the building.)

  Payments can also be accepted online or by phone with our third-party server. Online payments are accepted here. Phone payments are accepted at 866-477-8742. If you are due for disconnect or are already disconnected, please contact the Billing Office at 301-645-0624 or 301-870-2542 for verification of payment. If you make payment after 3:00 p.m. your water service will be restored no later than 3:00 p.m. the following business day.

• Where do I mail correspondence, such as a Renter's form, or payment regarding my water/sewer account?

  Please mail water/sewer billing payments or correspondence to the following address:

  Charles County Government
  Water/Sewer Billing
  P.O. Box 1630
  La Plata, MD 20646

• What is the Account Set Up Fee on my Bill?

  The Account Set Up Fee is to cover expenses to take an existing customer account out of one name and create a water/sewer account for the new owner or new tenant.  To avoid raising rates to all our water/sewer customers, a one-time fee was needed for only the customers requesting this service.  Prior to implementing, we researched other counties and found the New Account Fee was used frequently to recoup their expenses.

  I hope this explanation has helped answer your question.  If you have any more questions, you can email our office at wsbilling@charlescountymd.gov or call the office at 301-645-0624.

• I am moving into or out of a property. How do I get the water and sewer fees put into or out of my name?

  To have a water & sewer account put into or out of your name a final reading request must be submitted. To request a final reading please visit our website and under Services, located on the left of the web page (not on the toolbar), select Water & Sewer Billing to get to our web page. To the left of the page select Water/Sewer Billing Forms. Next please select Final Reading Request. Final Reading requests can only be requested by the owner/agent or Title Company. Tenants cannot request a final reading. If you are a tenant, please contact your landlord or property manager to submit a Final Reading Request. A $25.00 processing fee will be charged to complete each request.

  We have added a new feature to e-mail the final water/sewer bill should you prefer this option. Please also provide a mailing address as a back-up, if needed, and for further correspondence, if required.

  Please request final readings at least two business days before you need the bill amount. Water and Sewer readings will be done the next business day if the form is received before 2:00 p.m. Any requests received after 2:00 p.m. may not be done until two business days. The invoice will be processed the business day after the reading.

  Please understand that we do not shut off water at the time we do a final reading to take it out of your name. The account will transfer to the new owner or tenant's name instead. If you are moving out and the property will be vacant, such as Foreclosure Status, please submit a Water Turn Off Request form. There is a fee for this service. All requests should be made at least two days in advance. This form is also available at our website under Forms.

• Do you accept water/sewer payments online?

  Yes, Online payments are accepted here.  You will need your full account number for this process. Please allow three business days for payment to be posted to your account. If your water is disconnected, please contact our office after making payment. Any payment not made prior to 3pm will result in water connection the following business day. The Water/Sewer Billing Office is not alerted for payments made online or by phone. Water may not be turned back on if you do not notify the Billing Office of the payment. To better assist you please have your verification information (Confirmation) when contacting the Billing Office at 301-645-0624, select option 2.

• I am unable to pay my bill before the disconnection date. Can I get an extension or go on a payment plan?

  Yes, if you need a week extension from the disconnection date please contact the Billing Office, 301-645-0624. Unusual circumstances may warrant a pay plan which allows you to spread out payments. You must submit our Deferred Payment Plan Request Form located on the Water & Sewer Billing webpage. A minimum of a $50.00 payment must be posted to your account within 24 hours of your request and your final payment must be received one week prior to your next bill. All payments must be received no more than one month apart. Tenants must receive permission from their landlords in writing for payment plans. Approval must be sent directly from the landlord and can be faxed or emailed to wsbilling@charlescountymd.gov.

• Do you have E-billing? Can you tell me about it please?

  Yes, we do provide this service. E-billing is a quick and green way to receive your water sewer invoices directly to your computer or smartphone. Once you agree to have your bill sent by email all we need to do is put the email address you choose on your water and sewer account. When your next billing cycle is sent to be printed you will receive your bill in email format. You will not receive a hard copy of the bill sent by mail. Everything else remains the same as before.

  To sign up for E-Billing please go online and under Residents, located in the middle of the web page to the left (not on the toolbar), select Water & Sewer Billing to get to our web page. Select the icon on our web page or to the right of the page select E-Billing Sign Up under Related Links.

  Late notices will still be printed and mailed if payment is not received by the due date indicated on the bill. If you are a tenant, we will need to have on record a signed renter's form from the landlord allowing us to mail or email bills to you. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

• I lost my water/sewer bill. What is the balance I owe?

  If you have your account number, you can view your account history online. Select Services, next scroll down to Water and Sewer, Utility Account Inquiry. You will need your account/customer number to access this information.

• How can I contact the billing office online?

  Please email the Water/Sewer Billing Office at wsbilling@charlescountymd.gov. Someone will respond to your email within 24 business hours.

• My water and sewer bill has a Bay Restoration Fee. What is this?

  In 2004, the State Legislature passed a law creating the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund. This fund is dedicated to upgrade Maryland's wastewater treatment plants, septic tanks in critical areas, and establish cover crops to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus from going into the bay. To support this fund, the Maryland Department of Environment charges a fee to all residential and commercial water and sewer customers. Residential water/sewer customers are charged $5.00 per month, or $15.00 quarterly, on their water/sewer bills. Commercial customers are charged based on the average daily sewage flow. Customers on well and septic are charged $60.00 per year and appears on their property tax bills.

  More information regarding the Bay Fee.

• Why does my landlord get copies of my late notices, obtain information on my account, and has to give written approval for any payment plans?

  Water accounts are tied to the deed in Charles County, therefore if a tenant defaults on the water bill for a particular address the responsibility falls to the owner of that property. Also, the owner's name never completely comes off the account, it remains on the account and is listed as an investment property. The owner is the responsible party and should the tenant default, we are required to have them give us written permission for the tenant to receive bills as well as make any payment arrangements. They will receive copies of past due notices to forewarn them of the possibility that the water is scheduled for disconnect due to non-payment.

• I suspect a sewage back up at my home, whom should I call?

  Call the Department of Public Works at 301-609-7400 before calling a plumber. Someone will come to your residence and determine if it is a blockage in the County lines or your lines. If the blockage is in your lines, you will need to contact a plumber.

• Why can't the tenant's bill be transferred to their new place of residence?

  We cannot make a new landlord responsible for the tenant's previous bills at another property. We do not ask for driver's license or social security numbers which would enable us to track the tenant. We do not collect deposits. The owner of the property is responsible for the water and sewer bills.

• Who is responsible for a delinquent bill while the tenant is in the property?

  If the tenant refuses to pay...We will cut off the water 10 days after the due date or date listed on the Penalty Notice.  If still not paid, the landlord will receive a notice stating if the tenant does not pay or we do not hear form the landlord a lien will be placed on the property.

  Sewer Accounts: Since we are unable to disconnect sewer, if the tenant refuses to pay after the Penalty Notice has been sent, the landlord will receive a lien notice, same as above.

• How long do I have to pay my water/sewer bill before I'm disconnected for nonpayment?

  You have 30 days to pay your bill. At that time, a penalty will be added. You will have an additional 10 days from the due date before the account is shut off. A penalty notice is sent to you on the day after your due date indicating the scheduled shut off date. They are sent general mail. It is your responsibility to ensure payment is posted to your account on time. If you do not receive your bill or penalty notice, please contact the billing office. We are not responsible for mail not received by the post office.

• What is the Account Maintenance Fee?

  The water/sewer fund is a self-supporting entity.  The Account Maintenance Fee covers the expense of maintaining each account. This includes quarterly readings, requested readings, processing invoices, postage, and customer service.

• When will I receive my water/sewer bill?

  All meter readings and billings are on a quarterly basis, around 90 days, unless it is your first or last billing. Should you not receive a bill within that time, please contact the billing office to verify if a new bill has been posted to your account or to view your account. Select Services and scroll down to the appropriate selection.

• My water/sewer bill is high, what can I do?

  Looking for Leaks?

  Were you watering your lawn this summer or do you have additional people living in your home? Do you have a toilet leaking? Have you replaced your toilet flappers in the past year? Do you have an ice machine? Are any fixtures inside or outside spigots leaking at all?

  I would recommend doing a dye test on your toilets. Put blue or green food coloring in the tank of your toilets and let it sit 4 to 8 hours. Do not use red, it can stain. If any of the food color shows up in the toilet bowl then the toilet is leaking. If you do not see any then check the tank of the toilet. Verify the coloring is still in the tank. If it is not then this is another indication the toilet is leaking. If feasible, shut the toilet off at the spigot until it is repaired. You can have a leaking toilet and not hear it. Leaking toilets do not flood your home because they drain down the sewer lines. If ignored, your usage and bill can increase significantly in the coming months.

  Another way to look for a leak would be at your meter. If the water meter is located in your home, it is probably by the hot water heater. Once locate lift the lid, you would be able to see the current reading. There should also be a red star. If this red star is moving and you are not using water, this would be another indication for a leak. This, however, is not reliable to tell if a toilet is leaking because toilet leaks only show when the tank is refilling. You can also try writing down the numbers and check again several hours later to see if they have moved. If they have and you have not used water, there is a leak somewhere.

  Make sure the hot water heater tank is not leaking. Check all around the floor to make sure it is not wet.

  Check all your spigots, faucets, and tubs for leaks.

  If you have an ice maker, check the coil connection, usually under the sink, and make sure that is not leaking. Ice makers are known to have problems over time.

  If you have any further questions, you can contact the Billing Office at 301-645-0624 or 301-870-2542, or wsbilling@charlescounty.org. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

• What are the business hours for the Water/Sewer Billing Office and/or the Utilities Department?

  • The Water/Sewer Billing Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • The Utilities Department hours are Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • We are closed for holidays.