FAQs • Portsmouth, VA • CivicEngage

▼
Public Utilities

1. What are the hours of operation?: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm except holidays

2. How do I get water and sewer services started in my name?

To establish services you will need to come
into the Portsmouth Public Utilities business office on the 2^nd
floor at the Portsmouth City Hall Building located at 801 Crawford St. Portsmouth, VA 23704.

3. What information will I need to initiate service?

For tenants: a signed lease, valid unexpired
identification, and minimum $170.00 deposit.

For owners: a closing disclosure or deed, valid
unexpired identification, and no deposit is required.

For commercial leasing, there is a minimum
$300.00 deposit.

All adult co tenants & co owners need to be
present to establish service.

*Outstanding balances must be paid before
services can be established.

*For same day service, accounts need to be
established in office before 3 pm.

4. Where can I pay my utility bill and what methods of payment do you accept?

There are several ways to pay your utility bill.

1. You may pay in person by visiting The City
Treasurer’s office located in Portsmouth City Hall on the 1^st Fl. You can also pay at the Churchland location at 4934 High St West. These locations are available Monday – Friday (except holidays) from 8 – 5 pm.

2. You may drop your payment in the drop box located outside the business office, provided you are not in danger of having your services disconnected.

3. You may pay your bill online by credit card or personal check at www2.portsmouthva.gov/mywater. We accept all methods of payment except for
American Express. Please have your account number available to use this
service.

4. You may also call our electronic automated
system at (757) 393-5008. Please have your account number available for this service.

5. Automatic Bank Drafting is also available.

You can access your account information at any
time day or night through the automated system.

5. My water was turned off for non - payment what should I do?

In order for services to be restored, you must
pay your bill in full. Once your bill is paid in office or through the
automated system, you must contact the business office for a service order to
be placed for reconnection.

6. How much do I pay for water?: Water is measured in hundred cubic feet (CFC).
One CCF equals 748 gallons, which is also called consumption. There is a
minimum bill of $78.74 for two months of service. Some costs are ongoing
regardless of the amount of water used.

7. How much do I pay for sewer collection and treatment?

The sewage maintenance is based upon a
published sewage rate schedule and the amount of water you use during the
billing period. The Hampton Roads
Sanitation District (HRSD) treats the sewage. You will automatically receive a
separate bill from HRSD for wastewater treatment.

8. What is refuse on my Public Utilities statement?

The refuse collection fee is the charge for
your trash and recycle collection. For
two months of regular refuse collection, the normal charge for one dwelling
unit is $60.32.

9. What should I do if my bill is flagged for high consumption or suspect that I have a leak?

We are able to send our service techs out to
see if the leak is on the city side or the customer’s side of the meter. If the
customer has an internal leak, they are responsible for the repair, when the
repairs are completed they must provide proof and can adjust the bill as
indicated in the city code.

10. What is a field visit charge?: A field visit charge is a charge added to an
account anytime a service technician needs to make a trip to a property for a
service. A field visit charge can range from $12.00 to $500.00.

11. What should I do if I have a lien, certified letter, returned check, or bankruptcy issue?

Contact our business office regarding any
certified letter, returned check, or bankruptcy notification from Portsmouth
Public Utilities.

Any balance inquiries regarding lien payoffs, must be addressed to Danielle Ussery via fax or email.

All SODC (State Offset Debt Collection)
inquiries must be made to the business office. Make sure you have your WTR
number or your social security number to discuss SODC accounts.

All returned checks should be made attention to
Danielle Ussery.

All bankruptcy issues can be attention to Ronica Bowser.

12. If there is a sewer emergency, who should I contact?: If there is a sewer emergency, you should call
the Portsmouth Public Utilities Operations Division. They can be reached at
(757) 393 – 8561.

13. A public utility crew dug up the street to replace some pipes across the street. They put some black stuff in the hole but it doesn’t look like the rest of the road and is uneven?: Final road repair from utility work is provided
by an outside contractor. The city crews use a cold patch material for
temporary patching and to make the street usable until the contractor schedules
the final repair. If the utility cut is unsafe or to check on its final repair
status please call the Public Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

14. I need to locate my sewer lateral. Who can help me with this?

Public
Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

15. There is water bubbling up in the street. Who do I call?: Public
Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

16. My water tastes/looks “funny”. Who can I call to have it checked?: Public Utilities Water Quality at 757-539-2201 ext.
232 or 0.

17. I need to see if there is water/sewer available at a property I wish to buy. How can I check on this?: Public Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

18. I have a sewer stoppage at my house. Who do I call?: Public Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

19. My water heater burst, and I can’t find the water cutoff for the house. Can the City cut off my meter?: For
emergency shut offs or if a customer needs the water off for repairs, you must
call 757.393.8524. Field visit charges will be applied to the customer’s
account for service visits.

20. I need fire flow information for a property. Who can help me with this?: Public Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561

21. My sewer cleanout is overflowing in front of my house. Who can I call to have this corrected?: Public
Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

22. I have water bubbling out of the ground about half way between the meter and the house and have low pressure in the house. Who will come out and repair this?: The water service line from the meter to the
house is the home owner’s property to repair and maintain.

23. The round sewer cleanout in front of my house was damaged when I drove over it. Can the city take care of this?

This
cleanout is the home owner’s property. He/she is responsible for its repair and
maintenance.

24. I smell sewer around the outside/inside my house. Who can check this out?

Public
Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

25. The area around the water meter box stays wet, I think I have a leak. Is there someone to check this out?

For
potential meter leaks, you would need to call the business office at
757.393.8524 to have a service order placed.

26. There is a large sinkhole developing in the street in front of my house. Who in the City can take care of this?: Public Utilities Operations Center at 393-8561.

Categories

▼
Public Utilities

Live Edit

Contact

Helpful Links

Quick Links

Categories

▼ Public Utilities

Live Edit

▼
Public Utilities