Living in New York City comes with the luxury of having clean, readily available tap water in our homes. But we do have to pay for this service, which is overseen by the New York City Water Board. As a resident responsible for paying my water bill, I’ve gotten quite familiar with the various payment options offered by the Water Board. In this article, I’ll walk through the simple ways you can pay your NYC water bill online, by phone, in person or by mail.
Overview of the NYC Water Board
First, a quick primer on the Water Board for those unfamiliar. The New York City Water Board sets the rates for all residential and business customers in the five boroughs for water and sewer. Their job is to make sure that our water bills bring in enough money to cover all of the costs of running and fixing up the City’s huge water supply and distribution system.
The Water Board is composed of seven members appointed by the Mayor. In addition to rate-setting, they also hold public hearings to allow customer feedback on proposed rate changes. So while none of us loves paying our water bills, the Water Board aims to keep rates reasonable while funding continuous improvements to our aging water infrastructure.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s look at the ways you can pay your water bill to the Water Board.
Pay Online Through the DEP Website
The easiest and fastest way to pay your New York City water bill is online through the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) website
You have two options to pay online
1. Set Up a My DEP Account
For the full online account management experience, register for a My DEP account on the DEP website (www.nyc.gov/DEP). This gives you access to:
- Pay bills online
- View billing history
- Sign up for paperless billing
- Check water usage
- Receive alerts for potential leaks
- Submit customer service requests
It only takes a few minutes to set up your account. You’ll need your DEP account number and an activation code from your paper bill.
With a My DEP account you can log in anytime to view your balance due and securely pay your water bill online. It’s fast easy, and eliminates the need to mail payments.
2. Make a One-Time Quick Payment
If you don’t want to setup a full account, the DEP website offers Quick Pay for simple one-time online payments without registration. Just input your account number, payment amount, and email. But you won’t have access to account history or paperless billing.
Pay by Phone 24/7
For those who don’t like paying bills online, the Water Board lets you pay your bill over the phone at any time.
Just call 1-866-622-8292 and use the automated phone payment system. You can make a payment using your checking account, credit card or debit card. Payments process immediately to avoid late fees.
The one downside is a 2.25% convenience fee for credit/debit card payments. But checking account payments are completely free.
The phone payment line is open 24/7 for maximum convenience when paying your water bill.
Pay In-Person
The NYC Water Board offers a few options for paying your water bill in person with cash, check or credit card:
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At any NYC Department of Finance business center – make sure to bring your water bill.
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At a DEP customer service borough office – bring your bill and expect to wait in line.
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At authorized check cashing locations – bring your bill and ID.
In-person payments allow you to pay with cash and get same day payment processing. Just be aware that credit/debit payments will incur a 2.25% convenience fee.
Pay by Mail
If you prefer old school bill payment, you can absolutely still mail a check or money order to the Water Board. Here’s how to pay by mail:
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Write a check or get a money order made out to the NYC Water Board.
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Write your account number on the check memo line.
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Include the payment stub from your water bill.
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Mail to:
NYC Water Board
P.O. Box 11863
Newark, NJ 07101-8163
Just be sure to mail your payment several business days before the due date to ensure it arrives on time. With the range of options available, mailing a paper check seems antiquated, but it can provide that old school satisfaction!
Automate Your Water Bill Payments
If you want to set it and forget it when it comes to your water bill, you can enroll in autopay through the DEP website. This automatically charges your credit card or withdraws from your bank account each billing cycle.
To setup autopay:
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Login to your My DEP account.
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Under billing, select Automatic Bill Payment.
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Enter your payment info and confirm the agreement.
Now your payments happen on their own each month! Just be sure you have enough in your account to cover the charges.
Get Help from DEP Customer Service
If you need help with your water account, have issues making payments, or have fallen behind on your bill, the DEP has a customer service team ready to assist. Give them a call at 718-595-7000 or visit the DEP headquarters at 59-17 Junction Blvd in Flushing, NY.
The DEP wants to help all customers maintain active water service. They can discuss bill payment plans or potential assistance if you are struggling with payments.
Water Rates in NYC
New Yorks water supply meets the demands of millions of citizens. Higher water rates went into effect on July 1, 2013, but the actual increase was lower than projected due to efficiency measures, the installation and use of more accurate automated water meters, and aggressive cost-cutting measures that DEP implemented. The rates rose 5.6%, but New York City water rates are quite reasonable when compared with other locales. A single-family home that uses an average of 80,000 gallons of water per year can expect to spend $991 annually for water and sewer services. A multi-family unit with an average water use of 52,000 gallons per year can expect to pay $644 annually.
Some multi-family dwellings are eligible for participation in the Multi-Family Conservation Program (MCP). Units enrolled in this program enjoy billing based on a fixed charge rather than metered charges. The project is meant to encourage water conservation in multi-family housing. Properties enrolled in MCP have an annual charge of $944.22 per dwelling. Other plans are available for commercial units and boarders units. MCP requires certain conservation efforts be met in order for units to be eligible for the program.
Water bills may be paid online, over the phone, through the mail, or in person at one of the borough offices or Apple Bank locations. Many find online payments to be the most convenient and efficient option. Online bill paying can be set up at nyc.gov/dep.
Customers need their account number in order to set up online bill paying. This information is located in the upper left corner of every water bill. Customers should click the blue button at the top of the nyc.gov/dep webpage that says “My DEP Account.” A series of prompts leads the customer through the process of setting up an online account. Once the account is activated, customers can pay bills online in a number of ways. Customers can choose to make payments through direct debit wherein the amount is withdrawn directly from the customers account. Recurring payments are another option, as are one-time payments made with a credit card, debit card, savings account, or checking account.
Besides online bill paying, customers who elect online bill paying enjoy a host of other features only available online. Past payments and bills can be viewed through the online account. Information about previous water is also available. Leak notification emails are available to customers signed up with online billing. This free service sends email alerts when water usage indicates the possibility of water leaks that could increase the water bill. Multiple properties are easily managed online with the ability to assign different payment sources to each property.
NYC water bills to go up
How do I pay my water & wastewater Bill?
To make a payment, you will need your account number, which is located on your water and wastewater bill. View a Sample Bill to see where your account number is located. Please note that if you wish to pay using a credit or debit card, you will be charged a convenience fee of 2.25%.
How is New York City water & sewer funded?
Like many large cities, the entirety of New York City’s water and sewer infrastructure is funded by revenue it collects through water and sewer rates. The New York City Water Board is responsible for setting these rates, and must ensure that they are able to fund the entirety of the water and sewer system’s operating and capital needs.
What if I’m Not satisfied with the New York City Water Board?
If you are still not satisfied, you can make a final written appeal to the Executive Director of the New York City Water Board. Download the Dispute Resolution Process Overview. Download the DEP customer dispute form. Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.
How do I pay my bill?
You can make payments online, by phone or mail, or in person. If you need help setting up an account, have questions about your bill, or would like to learn more about your options if you cannot pay your bill in full, please contact Customer Service.