What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your Water Bill?

Paying utility bills like water, electricity, and gas is an essential part of being a responsible homeowner or renter. But sometimes, due to financial hardship, you may fall behind on paying your water bill. What consequences can you expect if you don’t pay your water bill for a while?

Overview of Water Bill Non-Payment

There are a few key things that may happen if you fail to pay your water bill:

• Late fees – If your bill is past due, you’ll be charged late fees that get tacked on to your account balance. This grows the amount you owe.

• Disconnection warning – The water company will send notices warning that they may shut off your water if you don’t pay

• Collections – If you go too long without paying the account can be sent to collections damaging your credit score.

• Property lien – The water company could put a lien on your home for the unpaid balance, which must be paid when you sell

• Water shutoff – As a last resort, the utility company can stop water service to your home until you pay the past due amount.

The specifics depend on your state’s regulations and your water company’s policies. Next, let’s look at the step-by-step process.

The Water Shutoff Process

Here is what typically happens when you fall behind on water bills:

1. Late Payment Charges

• When your bill is past the due date, you’ll owe a late fee such as $5 or 1.5% of the balance.

• This repeats each month you don’t pay, increasing how much you owe.

2. Disconnection Warning

• If non-payment continues, you’ll get a disconnection notice giving a deadline to pay before shutoff.

• The notice may come via mail, email, or a tag left on your door.

• The deadline is typically 5-15 days out from the notice date.

3. Shutoff Scheduled

• If you still haven’t paid by the disconnection notice deadline, the utility will schedule shutting off your water service.

• The shutoff date may be anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks after the deadline.

• You’ll receive a final notice of the planned shutoff date.

4. Water Service Disconnected

• On the scheduled date, your water will be turned off if the past due amount hasn’t been paid.

• A technician will physically turn off water access to your home at the street or meter box.

• Service remains off until you pay the balance owed.

5. Collections & Property Lien

• If you go 1-2 billing cycles without paying, the account may go to a collection agency.

• This can seriously damage your credit score for up to 7 years.

• The water company could also place a lien on your property for the unpaid balance.

• The lien must be paid when you sell the home.

6. Reconnection

Once you pay the past due amount:

• A technician will come turn your water back on.

• You may have to pay a reconnection fee such as $50.

• A security deposit might be required to turn water back on.

When Can Water Be Shut Off?

There are a few rules about when the water company can shut off your service due to non-payment:

• Weather – Some states prohibit winter shutoffs during freezing weather to prevent pipes from bursting. Summer shutoffs may also be banned on extremely hot days.

• Medical need – If you have a documented medical condition requiring water, shutoffs may be delayed 30+ days.

• Weekends/holidays – Shutoffs typically cannot occur on weekends or holidays when utility offices are closed.

• Tenant accounts – In some states, water cannot be disconnected at a rental property due to the tenant not paying. However, the landlord’s water could get shut off.

• Payment plans – If you agree to a payment plan to pay back the balance over time, the water company may delay shutoff.

Are There Any Ways to Prevent Shutoff?

If you’re facing disconnection of your water, here are some options that may help:

• Call the water company – Explain your situation and try to work out a payment plan or delayed due date. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

• Seek bill assistance – There are programs like LIHEAP that provide grants to cover utility bills for low income households.

• Leak adjustment – If a leak caused a spike in your water usage/bill, you may qualify for a billing adjustment.

• Partial payment – Paying even a portion of the past due amount could delay shutoff. But get on a plan to pay the rest.

• Negotiate – Try negotiating a deal, such as waiving late fees or taking less than the full amount owed.

• Dispute errors – Make sure your bill doesn’t have incorrect charges on it before paying. File disputes promptly.

Can My Water Be Shut Off if I’m a Renter?

If you rent your home, the rules about water shutoffs for non-payment depend on where you live:

• Some states prohibit shutting off water at a rental home due to the tenant not paying.

• Landlords are usually responsible for paying the water bill. So in these states, failing to pay as a renter shouldn’t result in shutoff.

• However, in other states, they can shut off water to a rental home if the tenant doesn’t pay their water bill.

• In a few areas, water companies won’t disconnect service to any residential address regardless of tenant or landlord non-payment.

• The landlord may face consequences like collections or property liens even if the tenant’s water can’t be shut off.

Can My Water Be Turned Back On Without Paying?

Once your water gets shut off for non-payment, there is usually no way to restore service without paying the past due balance:

• The utility company will require full payment of all overdue amounts before turning it back on.

• This includes late fees and any disconnection/reconnection fees.

• Partial payments or payment plans won’t cut it. The past due amount must be paid up.

• They may also demand a security deposit be paid before reconnecting service.

• Trying to physically turn your water back on yourself is illegal and dangerous.

Some utilities may make very rare exceptions for extreme economic hardship cases. But full payment is almost always mandatory to restore water service after it’s been shut off due to non-payment. So avoid getting into this situation if possible.

Key Takeaways

The consequences of not paying your water bill can be serious: collections, property liens, and water service disconnection. To avoid these outcomes:

• Contact your water company early if you’ll have trouble paying your bill.

• Seek bill assistance or negotiate payment plans if possible.

• Try to pay something rather than ignoring the bill completely.

• If your water does get shut off, act swiftly to pay the balance so it can be restored promptly.

Going without running water is difficult and unsanitary. So prioritize paying your water bill or work out alternate solutions with your utility provider. Consistent non-payment will only lead to much larger headaches down the road.