I have a question about my bill. How can I contact Customer Service?
You can call Public Utilities Customer Service at (757) 385-4631 or toll-free at 1-866-697-3481, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also click
here.
What charges are included on my bill?
The Public Utilities and Public Works Combined Services Statement bi-monthly bill includes the following charges: Storm Water, Solid Waste, Water Supply, Service Availability, Sanitary Sewer Service, Solid Waste Collection, and a utility tax.
When is my bill due?Charges on your account are due 30 days from the date it is billed. The due date is printed on your bill. You can find your due date for the current charges under the Account Summary on the top portion of the bill. It is also located on the bill coupon in the summary section.
View a sample bill.
How can I pay my bill?Automatic Recurring Payment Service
Set up automatic recurring payments to ensure your bill is always paid on time. With each billing cycle, payments will be automatically withdrawn from your bank account. There is no fee for this service.
Pay Online
Click here to make a one-time payment using your debit/credit card or a bank transfer. A $1.95 convenience fee will be charged.*
Want to avoid convenience fees? Free one-time bank transfer (ACH) payments are available to customers choosing our paperless billing option. As an eBill customer, your billing statements will be securely emailed to you, with an option to pay directly from the eBill itself. Click here to learn more and sign up.
Pay by Phone
Call Western Union at (866) 247-6958 to make a one-time payment using your debit/credit card or a bank transfer. A $1.95 convenience fee will be charged.*
Pay by Text
Sign up to receive a text message notification on your cell phone when your bill is ready. Simply reply to the text and your bill will automatically be paid using securely stored payment information. A $1.95 convenience fee will be charged.*
* A $1.95 convenience fee will be charged by Western Union Financial Services, Inc., the vendor contracted to process online and phone payments for Virginia Beach Public Utilities.
Pay by Mail
When paying by mail, you must include the bottom portion of your bill with your payment to ensure proper crediting to your account. Mail your check or money order to:
John T. Atkinson, City Treasurer
Municipal Center, Building 1
2401 Courthouse Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Pay in Person
When paying in person, you must include the bottom portion of your bill with your payment to ensure proper crediting to your account. Payments by cash, check, Visa, Discover, MasterCard, American Express, or money order can be made at any of the following City Treasurer's Offices:
Main Office & Administration
Municipal Center Building 1 (1st Floor)
2401 Courthouse Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9018
Beach Office
401 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Pembroke Office
281 Independence Blvd., Suite 102
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Kempsville Office
5340 Fairfield Shopping Center
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
The hours of operation for each location are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
For your convenience, payment drop boxes are also available. Do not place cash in a drop box or use the drop box to make a payment on a delinquent account. Drop box locations are as follows:
- At the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, in front of Operations Building 2, at 2405 Courthouse Drive
- In front of the Social Services Building at 3432 Virginia Beach Boulevard
- In front of the Public Utilities Field Operations Building at 3500 Dam Neck Road
Payments by check or money order only can be made at the Virginia Beach Public Utilities Business Division office located at:
Virginia Beach Municipal Center
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Manage Your Account Online
There's never a wait time online - just secure access to account information and Public Utilities services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! to enroll and access you account, go to VBgov.com/pu and click the button for Online Services.
What are your office hours?
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, excluding holidays.
What will happen if I don't pay my bill on time?
If your account is not paid on time, a $1.50 late fee will be added to your next bill. You will also receive a delinquent notice and your water service will be eligible for cut-off if payment is not received by the due date on the delinquent notice. If payment is not received by the delinquent notice due date, your account will be subject to a delinquent fee and interruption of service. The delinquent fee for water accounts is $20. For sewer only accounts the fee is $10.
What happens if I only send a partial payment?
Payments cannot be designated to specific charges. Payments will be applied to the oldest charges first. Any remaining amount will be applied to storm water, then sanitary sewer, and finally, water. Any unpaid portion will become delinquent if complete payment is not received by the due date.
Why was my water service discontinued?
Service was discontinued due to non-payment of billed charges.
My water service was turned off due to non-payment. When will my service be restored?
If you make a payment before 3 p.m., your water will be restored on the same day. If you do not make a payment until after 3 p.m., your water will be restored on the next business day. If your payment was made on Friday after 3 p.m., your water will be restored by the weekend.
I made a payment arrangement with the Public Utilities Business Office, but my water was still turned off. Why?
If the full amount of the payment arrangement was not paid by the due date, your water will be turned off.
I had a high bill because of a leak. Can I get an adjustment?
If you have repaired the leak, you may be eligible for a bill adjustment. You can request a bill adjustment using
Public Utilities Online Services, or by calling Customer Service at (757) 385-4631 or toll-free at 1-866-697-3481.
Public Utilities Water and Sanitary Sewer
How does Public Utilities know how much water I use?
All water services are metered. Your water meter is read approximately every 60 days.
How often do you read my meter?
Meters are normally read six times per year, approximately every 60 days.
What if my meter is located in my driveway?
If the meter serving your property is located in the driveway, avoid parking vehicles over the meter. Public Utilities personnel need to be able to access meters to read them and to turn off water during emergencies. City Code authorizes Public Utilities to tow vehicles blocking water meters if the account is delinquent. Public Utilities will leave notices at the property and on the vehicle five days before any vehicle is towed.
How can I save on my water bill?Conserving water in and around your home will save money on your water bill. The less you use, the less you'll pay. Repaor all leaky faucets and running toilets immediately. Install low-flow toilets and showerheads. Your lawn only needs one inch of water per week. Use a rain gauge and reduce the amount you water accordingly. Install a rain barrel to collect rain water for outdoor watering. For more helpful tips, visit the
water conservation section of our website or visit
http://askhrgreen.org.
Can I get credit for filling my swimming pool?
Public Utilities does not give a credit for filling a swimming pool.
How do I obtain a water or sewer tap, or a fire hydrant or irrigation meter?
Visit the Public Utilities Business Division Customer Service Office. A representative will assist you. The office is located at the Municipal Center, on the 2nd floor of Building 2. The address is 2405 Courthouse Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.
What is Storm Water Management?
Storm water management helps to minimize flooding and improve water quality through the construction, maintenance and monitoring of systems that improve storm water drainage.
Are the Storm Water Management fee and the Sanitary Sewer Service charge related?
No. The Sanitary Sewer Service charge is for collection and pumping of your household wastewater to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) for treatment and disposal. The Storm Water Management fee pays a portion of the costs of providing and maintaining drainage systems that collect and divert rainfall and storm water runoff from the streets and property around your home.
What benefit do I receive from the Storm Water Management Fee?
A large City of 312 square miles, Virginia Beach has developed significantly from the original beachfront area and predominately agricultural Princess Anne County. Today, there are miles of storm drain systems made up of ditches, pipes and ponds. Prior to the implementation of the Storm Water Management Fee in 1993, these projects competed with other projects for tax money. Therefore, there was no money for construction of new projects, only money for maintenance of existing projects.
The Storm Water Management Fee is used to maintain and upgrade drainage facilities within the entire City. Your quality of life and the value of your property are related to how well the City maintains its infrastructure. Streets would become impassable after common rainfall events, and subdivisions would flood without a functioning storm water system.
Your fee is at work throughout the City every time it rains, and whenever an old or inadequate drainage system is repaired or improved. The fee also helps to cover the cost of design, construction and maintenance of systems that improve drainage and help the City reduce and monitor pollutants that may enter various bodies of water, such as Chesapeake Bay, Back Bay, or Broad Bay.
How is the rate I pay for the Storm Water Management Fee calculated?
A basic premise of the Storm Water Management Service is that all property owners receive some benefit, and all property owners are required to participate in the cost of the service. For each residential property on which there are at least one but no more than four dwelling units, each unit is charged the same rate. The rate is referred to as the Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU). The rate for each ERU is .316 cents per day, or $115.34 per year. This is the rate paid by 93.4% of all Storm Water Management Service customers.
The rate for all other developed properties (multifamily and non-residential) is determined by:
- Calculating the impervious areas (those areas with hard surfaces such as buildings, parking lots and sidewalks) on the site.
- Dividing that amount by the average amount of impervious area on all residential properties. The calculation provides the number of ERUs each of those properties will be billed.
The multi-family and non-residential properties, which include apartment buildings, condominiums, commercial sites, offices, and non-profit facilities, make up 6.6% of the total number of Storm Water Management Service accounts and provide 46.5% of the total revenue.
The total revenue generated is approximately $9.4 million annually. This amount is supplemented with approximately $3.1 million more from revenues received by the city from other sources.
Are household wastewater, rainfall, and storm water runoff collected with the same facilities?
No. They are completely separate facilities. Household wastewater is collected by the sanitary sewer system and pumped to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) for treatment and disposal. Rainfall and storm water runoff are collected through storm drains and ditches. This water is not treated before being released into the environment.
What type of storm water maintenance is done?
Since sediment and debris can collect in our storm water systems and impede the flow of water, it is important to maintain our existing water systems. Examples of maintenance include: repairing storm drain cave-ins; removing sediment and debris from pipes, ditches, and canals; dredging lakes and canals; inspecting and cleaning storm drain systems.
How do we know water quality in our city's waterways is maintained?
Water samples are taken from sites throughout the city during wet and dry weather. These samples are used to determine the amounts of heavy metals, chemicals, and other materials present in the waterways. Data from these samples is used to establish trends and progress. In addition, the Spill Response Team, in conjunction with the Fire Department, cleans up materials that threaten storm systems and waterways. Examples of these materials include oil, chemical spills and other toxic pollutants.