Customer Service
The Customer Service Office serves the customers by reading meters, providing bills for services rendered, collecting revenue and providing other customer related services.
Mission
The mission of the Department of Portsmouth Public Utilities is to provide outstanding customer service and support to the citizens of Portsmouth.
Great customer service is more than being courteous to our customers. Exemplary Customer Service is at the core of our department - who we are, how we interact, and how we perform our duties makes all the difference in maintaining customer satisfaction.
We want you to know that we are committed to:
- Answering the phone and listening to your concerns and questions
- Getting bills out on time without errors
- Processing your payments timely and accurately
Establishing New Service
Due to COVID-19, our procedures have changed. Please read below carefully.
To establish any new water service or transfer new service, copies of the required documents will have to be dropped off in the gray drop box located next to the city hall building. Please place copies of all documents in an envelope addressed to Portsmouth Public Utilities when dropping it off in the drop box. The required documents are listed below.
Owners
- All owners and co-owners must provide the required documents
- Must have finished closing on the property
- Must not have any outstanding balances with the City of Portsmouth
- Valid unexpired photo ID
- Proof of ownership (closing disclosure, settlement statement, land title, or deed)
- For closing disclosures and settlement statements, the pages that are required are the first page showing the names of the buyer(s), and seller(s) along with the purchasing date, and the signature page where the buyer has signed.
- For land title/deeds, we would need all pages. Please make sure the information has been recorded by the Portsmouth Courts.
- City of Portsmouth Utility Contract
- If the property was purchased under a company name we will also require:
- The Articles of Incorporation or Organization
- Federal Tax-ID or EIN documentation provided by the IRS
- Owners DO NOT pay a deposit
Tenants
- All tenants and co-tenants must provide the required documents. Only one deposit is required.
- Must not have any outstanding balances with the City of Portsmouth
- Valid unexpired photo ID
- A valid lease signed by all parties
- The required pages are the page showing who the owner, and tenant are, the page showing the commencement date, and ending date of the lease, and the page with the signatures of the owner(s) and tenant(s).
- City of Portsmouth Utility Contract
- A deposit
- $170 for residential properties
- $300 for commercial properties
- If the property was leased under a company name we will also require:
- The Articles of Incorporation or Organization
- Federal Tax-ID or EIN documentation provided by the IRS
If you are in the process of purchasing a property and need the water on before you settle, you must provide documentation giving early possession to activate services. Certain situations may still require a minimum deposit of $170.
We also offer 24 hour inspections for $24, but these must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance.
*Deposit amounts can be changed based on previous unpaid balances with Public Utilities.
At this time, we only accept money orders, or cashier's checks for deposits. Please make the payment payable to Portsmouth Public Utilities. PLEASE DO NOT USE CASH OR PERSONAL CHECKS.
Transferring Services
Due to COVID-19, our procedures have changed. Please read below carefully.
A transfer of services is only for tenants who currently have active service as a tenant with the City of Portsmouth, and is moving to another property within the city as a tenant. If you are going from renting to owning, owning to renting, or owning to owning, we do not consider those transfers, and you will want to follow the same instructions as on the establishing new services page.
Copies of the required documents will have to be dropped off in the gray drop box located next to the city hall building. Please place the copies of all documents in an envelope addressed to Portsmouth Public Utilities when dropping it off in the drop box. The required documents are listed below.
Requirements
- All tenants and co-tenants must provide the required documents.
- Must not have any past due balances
- Valid unexpired photo ID
- Copy of the new lease signed by all parties
- The required pages are the page showing who the owner, and tenant are, the page showing the commencement date, and ending date of the lease, and the page with the signatures of the owner(s) and tenant(s).
- City of Portsmouth Utility Contract
- Must be done within 7 days of the lease's commencement date
- Your active account must remain active. If your account is closed, we will not be able to perform the transfer of services, and you will have to apply as a new tenant along with repaying the deposit.
Establishing Services for Real Estate Management Companies
Due to COVID-19, our procedures have changed. Please read below carefully.
Copies of the required documents will have to be dropped off in the gray drop box located next to the city hall building. Please place copies of all documents in an envelope addressed to Portsmouth Public Utilities when dropping it off in the drop box. The required documents are listed below.
Requirements
- Both the managing company, and the owner of the property must not have any outstanding balances with the Department of Public Utilities
- Valid unexpired photo ID of the authorized agent
- Management Agreement
- Real Estate Management Utility Contract
- Requirements Checklist and Deposit Waiver for Management Companies
- We also may need additional documentation if the management is under a company name:
- The Articles of Incorporation or Organization
- Federal Tax-ID or EIN documentation provided by the IRS