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1. What are the hours of operation?

Our hours of operation are:

Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

2. 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.

3. A public utility crew dug up the street to replace some pipes. They put some black stuff in the hole but it doesn't look like the rest of the road and is uneven. What is going on?

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 757-393-8561.

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

For assistance with locating your sewer lateral, please call the Operations Center at 757-393-8561.

5. There is water bubbling up in the street. Who do I call?

If you see water bubbling up in the street, please call the Operations Center at 757-393-8561.

6. My water tastes/looks "funny". Who can I call to have it checked?

For questions or concerns about your water quality, please call Public Utilities Water Quality at 757-539-2201, ext. 232 or ext. 0.

7. I have a sewer stoppage at my house. Who do I call?

For sewer stoppage issues, please contact the Operations Center by calling 757-393-8561.

8. My water heater burst and I cant' find the water cutoff for the house. Can the city cut off my water meter?

For emergency shut offs or if you need the water turned off for repairs, you must call 757-393-8524. Field visit charges will be applied to your account for service visits.

9. I need fire flow information for a property. Who can help me with this?

For assistance with fire flow information, please contact the Public Utilities Operations Center by calling 757-393-8561.

10. My sewer clean-out is overflowing in front of my house. Who can I call to have this corrected?

For issues with sewer clean-out overflow, please call the Operations Center at 757-393-8561.

11. 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.

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

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

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

For questions or concerns about sewer smell, please contact the Operations Center by calling 757-393-8561.

14. 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.

15. There is a large sinkhole developing in the street in front of my house. Who in the city can take care of this?

To notify the city about a sinkhole, please contact the Operations Center by calling 757-393-8561.

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

There are several ways to pay your utility bill.

• Pay in Person: You may pay in person by visiting The city Treasurer's office located in Portsmouth City Hall on the 1st Floor. You can also pay at the Churchland location at 4934 High Street West. These locations are available Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Pay at Drop Box: 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.
• Pay Online: You may pay your bill online by credit card or personal check. We accept all methods of payment except for American Express. Please have your account number available to use this service.
• Pay by Phone: You may also call our electronic automated system by calling 757-393-5008. Please have your account number available for this service.
• Pay by Automatic Bank Draft: Automatic Bank Drafting (PDF) is also available.

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

2. My water was turned off for non-payment. What should I do?

In order for your 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 re-connection.

3. How much do I pay for water?

Water is measured in centum cubic feet (CCF) which is the equivalent to 100 cubic feet. One CCF equals 748 gallons, which is also called consumption. There is a minimum bill of $89.40 for 2 months of service. Some costs are ongoing regardless of the amount of water used.

4. 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.

5. What is "refuse" on my Public Utilities statement?

The refuse collection fee is the charged or your trash and recycle collection. For 2 months of regular refuse collection, the normal charge for 1 dwelling unit is $60.32.

6. What should I do if my bill is flagged for high consumption or if I 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 Portsmouth City Code.

7. My bill is high due to a leak. What can I do?

If you had a leak, you will first want to have it repaired. Then you will want to submit the repair receipt here. We will have to wait until a bill is produced with a lower consumption amount before an adjustment can be offered. In the meantime, please pay what you normally pay on the bill affected by the leak. Then when a new bill is produced, please call our office at 757-393-8524, so we can verbally confirm the adjustment with you. If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to give our office a call.

8. 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 to $500.

9. 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 State Offset Debt Collection (SODC) 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.

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

• Please refer to this page for more information: customer service. 

2. What information will I need to initiate service?

• Please refer to this page for more information: customer service.

3. I need to see if there is water/sewer available at a property I wish to buy. How can I check on this?

For assistance in locating water/sewer service on a potential new property, please contact the Public Utilities Operations Center by calling 757-393-8561.