The city of Detroit launched a new program for Detroit residents, nonprofits and businesses behind on their water bills.
The plan, called EasyPay, has no interest or fees and is open to all types of customers, regardless of their income. Customers can sign up by putting down a $10 deposit. They will then pay off their past-due balance along with their regular bill over 36 months. The program spares them from a water shut-off as long as they make payments.
“We dont care whether youre a church, a nonprofit. We dont care what your household income is. We dont care if youre a small business or large business. If youre behind in your payments, we have a plan for you,” said Gary Brown, director of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), during Mayor Mike Duggan’s charter-mandated citywide community meeting Monday.
Brown said that 200 people have already signed up, but the goal is to have 30,000 people sign up by October.
Paying your water bill in Detroit is easy and convenient with the variety of payment options offered by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). As a Detroit resident, it’s important to pay your water bill on time each month to avoid any service disruptions. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through all the ways you can pay your Detroit water bill.
Register for an Online Account
The easiest way to pay your water bill in Detroit is to set up an online account on the DWSD Customer Portal With an online account, you can
- View your current and past water bills
- Check your account balance and due date
- Make one-time payments
- Set up recurring auto-pay
- Enter into payment arrangements if needed
- Monitor your water usage and compare to previous months
To register, just head to the DWSD Customer Portal and click “Register.” You’ll need to provide some basic information like your account number, name, and email address. The whole process only takes a few minutes.
Once your account is created, you’ll have 24/7 access to manage your water bill payments. You can also enable text and email reminders for upcoming due dates so you never miss a payment.
Pay at Convenient Pay Stations
If you prefer to pay your water bill in person with cash or card, DWSD has set up 50+ pay stations across Detroit for quick and easy payments. These self-service kiosks accept cash, checks, and debit/credit cards.
To find a pay station near you, visit the DWSD website and click on “Find Pay Station Locations.” Simply enter your zip code and a list of nearby stations will appear. Payments made at kiosks will post to your account immediately.
Pay by Phone
You can also pay your Detroit water bill over the phone in just a few quick steps:
- Call 313-267-8000 to access the automated payment system
- Enter your 10-digit account number
- Select the option to make a payment
- Follow the prompts to enter your payment information
- You can pay with debit/credit card or checking account
- Your payment will process instantly
The phone payment system is available 24/7 and allows you to check your balance or make a payment at any time
Pay by Mail
You can pay by mail by sending a check or money order made out to:
Board of Water Commissioners
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
P.O. Box 554899
Detroit, MI 48255-4899
On the check or money order, make sure to write down your DWSD account number. Allow 5-7 business days for mailed payments to process.
Payment Arrangements
If you can’t pay your water bill all at once, DWSD lets you make payment plans. Setting up a payment plan lets you spread out your payments over a few months and pay off your debt faster.
To enter into a payment arrangement:
- Log into your online account and select “Payment Arrangement”
- Call 313-267-8000 and speak with a customer service agent
- Visit a DWSD Customer Service Center in person
Your water service won’t be cut off as long as you pay on time. When people in Detroit get a big utility bill, payment plans give them options.
Assistance Programs
DWSD also offers financial assistance programs to help qualifying low-income households pay their water bills. These assistance programs include:
- The Water Residential Assistance Program (WRAP), which provides bill payment assistance
- The 10/30/50 Plan, which discounts water bills by 10%, 30% or 50% based on income
- The Water Access Volunteer Effort (WAVE) Fund, which provides emergency bill payment assistance
To find out if you qualify for a low-income assistance program, contact DWSD customer service. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you are struggling financially.
Avoid Service Disruptions
As long as you pay the amount due on your water bill by the due date each month, you can avoid any service disruptions. If your account becomes past due, DWSD will issue a shutoff notice giving you additional time to make a payment.
If you receive a shutoff notice, immediately:
- Pay the past due amount online, by phone or at a pay station
- Set up a payment arrangement if you can’t pay in full
- Apply for financial assistance if eligible
Act quickly when you receive a shutoff notice to prevent your water from being disconnected. Having your service restored after a shutoff incurs additional fees.
Detroit offers water customers many flexible options for paying utility bills. With the DWSD Customer Portal, pay stations, phone payments and mail, paying your water bill requires minimal time and effort. Reach out for assistance programs if needed. And be sure to pay your bill in full each month by the due date to avoid any disruptions to your essential water service. Detroit’s streamlined payment process makes managing your water account stress-free.
How the new 36-month payment plan works
The average monthly water and sewer bill for a three-person home is $85, and $1,240 is still owed. After the household enrolls in EasyPay, they would pay $10 the first month. For the following months of the program, they would pay $34. 17 in installments to bring down their overdue debt, plus their current bill of $85. That would bring their total average monthly bill to about $119. 17 in total.
“This is very economical for the customers that are not below poverty,” Brown said.
Once enrolled, customers have up to 10 days to make the deposit. Parking lots and vacant buildings with an overdue drainage account can also apply, according to a news release.
EasyPay replaces DWSD’s 2010/30/50% program, which let customers make a down payment of 10%E2%80%94%20of%2010%,%2030%,or%2050%%20ofthe%2010%,%2030%%20or%2050%%20ofthe%2010%,%2030%%20or%2050%%20ofthe%2010%,%2030%%20or%2050%%20ofthe%2010%,%2030%%20or%2050%%20ofthe%20past%20due%20amount%20%E2%80%94%20and%20pay%20off%20the%20delinquent%20balance%20in%20installments%20over%206%20to%2024%20months,%20on%20top%20their%20regular%20bill.
That program had only 3,000 customers, who struggled to remain enrolled, Brown said. Within the first 90 days, people who had signed up, dropped out, he said.
“Our customers were having a difficult time coming up with 10%. Brown said that if they failed the program, they would have to come up with 2050% and then 2050% again, which was too much for those customers.
The water department also has another affordability program for income-eligible residents called the Lifeline Plan, which offers bills as low as $18 a month and wipes away water debt. So far, 30,000 households have enrolled in that program, with 85% getting an $18 bill, according to Brown.
He said there are 60,000 customers who are not eligible for Lifeline because their income is too high, but who are still struggling.
Detroit community advocates have long called for income-based affordability solutions and an end to service shut-offs.
In 2014, Detroit’s shut-off practices drew international attention, spurring the United Nations to declare that cutting off water for those with a “genuine inability to pay” is a human rights violation.
Last summer, after a three-year moratorium on water shut-offs because of the COVID-19 pandemic, DWSD resumed the practice. Customers enrolled in assistance programs, such as Lifeline, are exempt from shut-offs as long as they remain on the plan and pay their monthly bill. EasyPay enrollees must make their payments as well to avoid shut-offs.
Since August 2023, about 1,000 households had their water service interrupted for nonpayment, according to the department. DWSD has been focusing on large delinquent balances of at least $5,000, although its policy is that any account with an overdue balance of $150 or more and that is 60 days behind is at risk of a water shut-off for nonpayment.
DWSD’s collection rate plummeted over the last few years, Brown said. Before the pandemic, the water department collected 93% of what it billed, closer to the national average collection rate of 95%, he added.
“In the last four years, we have not collected close to $200 million in revenue that we would use to be able to continue to rebuild our system,” he said.
Sylvia Orduño, director of the Peoples Water Board Coalition and a community organizer with the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, said shes glad the city is replacing the 10/30/50, noting that it “was a disaster from the start.”
“It had the reverse effect of convincing residents that the water department was trying to help when each step to restart a payment plan was harder and punitive. Many Detroit residents above the 200% poverty level have said over the years that they need a program to help manage their bills too,” Orduño said in an email. In 2024, a three-person household at 200% of the federal poverty level earns $51,640.
EasyPay can also help small businesses, nonprofits and local churches that have struggled with drainage and wastewater charges, she said, but the new program shouldnt be available to corporate customers.
“Water affordability was always intended as programs and payment plans to ensure residential customers were treated fairly and not subjected to disconnections when they couldnt afford to pay. Corporate water customers can afford to pay and should pay up in full regularly,” Orduño said.
Detroit looks to help collect unpaid water bills with new program at just $10 down
How do I pay my water bill in Detroit?
Pay your bill at one of more than 50 free kiosks in and around Detroit. You can use cash, check, debit or credit card. Find your nearby kiosk. Call our automated pay-by-phone system at (313) 267-8000. Send your payment by mail with check or money order payable to the “Board of Water Commissioners. ”.
Can Detroiters pay past-due water balances?
There is a new program starting Tuesday that the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department hopes will help people in Detroit pay their past-due water bills. The program starts with just a $10 down payment.
Does Detroit Water & Sewerage Department disclose PII?
City of Detroit Water & Sewerage Department and CityInsight will not intentionally disclose any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of its web users unless otherwise required by law.
