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Accounting and Finance Support (DWSU)

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1. What are the business hours for the Water/Sewer Billing Office?

The Water/Sewer Billing Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and is located at 4520 Metropolitan Ct., Frederick, MD 21704. You may call us at 301-600-2354.  The office is closed for all County holidays.

2. How does Frederick County bill water and sewer charges?

Water and sewer charges are billed quarterly.  Billable water charges consist of the amount based on your quarterly water consumption (the amount of water that passed through the meter since the last meter reading) plus a fixed Ready to Serve Fee.  The consumption is billed on a tiered schedule (i.e., the first 8,000 gallons are billed at a certain rate, the next 8,000 gallons or portion thereof are billed at a different rate, etc.).   Billable sewer charges consist of a fixed amount based on your total quarterly water consumption plus a fixed Ready to Serve Fee.  If you only have wastewater (sewer) service through Frederick County, you are charged a fixed flat rate wastewater charge per quarter.

3. What are Ready to Serve Fees?

Ready to Serve Fees are fixed charges that cover a portion of the County’s cost for maintaining the treatment and delivery systems and administrative functions. This quarterly charge appears on each bill for both water and sewer and does not vary with consumption.

4. My water and sewer bill includes a Bay Restoration Fee. What is this?

Frederick County collects the Bay Restoration Fee from all residential and commercial water and wastewater customers and from improved properties served by on-site septic systems and wells. This fee is paid to the State of Maryland. The funds are used to upgrade Maryland’s wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks in critical areas, and to establish cover crops to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus from going into the Chesapeake Bay. Additional information on this program can be obtained on the State’s website at: http://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/BayRestorationFund/Pages/Index.aspx  or by calling The Maryland Department of the Environment at 410-537-3000. Residential water/sewer customers are charged $5.00 per month, or $15.00 quarterly, on their water/sewer bills. Commercial customers are charged based on the average daily sewage flow. Well and septic customers are charged $60.00 per year and the fee appears on their property

tax bills.

5. When will I receive my water/sewer bill?

All meter readings and billings are completed on a quarterly basis, on staggered cycles, based on the property’s geographic area. Depending on the date you moved into your property, as well as our meter reading schedule, your first bill may contain pro-rated charges for the portion of the initial three month billing period. If you think you have not received your quarterly bill, please contact the Billing Office at 301-600-2354.

6. What payment options do you offer?

We offer several ways to make payment, including EFT, check/cash in-person, or credit card online or over the phone. Please visit our website at www.frederickcountymd.gov/wspaybill to view all payment options and instructions.

7. Can I receive my bill electronically instead of receiving a paper copy?

Yes, simply call the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 and we can establish paperless billing for your account. You will then receive your quarterly bill and any late notices via e-mail. This service can be cancelled at any time by calling our office.

8. Do you accept water/sewer payments after business hours?

Yes, there is a Night Drop Box for after-hours payments located in the drive-through lane near the cashier window at the Division of Water and Sewer Utilities building located at 4520 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704. Payments can also be made on-line at https://frederickcountymd.munisselfservice.com. On-line payments are posted to the account the next business day.

9. Do you accept water/sewer payments online?

Yes, online payments can be made by accessing the Frederick County Citizens Self Service website at https://frederickcountymd.munisselfservice.com. A 2½ % service fee applies for credit/debit card payments and a flat fee of $1.49 applies for checking account payments.

10. Do you accept water/sewer payments by phone?

Yes, simply call the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 and a representative can take your credit/debit card information over the phone. A service fee of 2½% of the payment amount will apply. We cannot accept e-check payments over the phone. E-check payments can be made on-line at https://frederickcountymd.munisselfservice.com.

11. Where can I mail my water/sewer bill payment?

Please use the envelope and bill stub provided with your bill, or as an alternative, mail bill payments to: Frederick County DWSU, 4520 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704. Please include the payment stub with your payment and write your full account number on your check.

12. Can I set up automatic payments from my bank account?

Yes, we can automatically deduct your quarterly water/sewer bill payment from either your checking or savings account. You can set up automatic payment by registering your water/sewer account on our website at https://frederickcountymd.munisselfservice.com and following the steps to “Set Up Automatic Payment”. Or, you can complete a Recurring Electronic Funds Transfer Form. There is no fee for this service. You will continue to receive a bill copy and funds will be withdrawn 24-48 hours prior to the due date.

13. Can I get additional notifications concerning my account status?

Yes, simply call the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 to add a phone number and/or e-mail address to your account. You will then receive additional notifications if we do not receive your payment.

14. When is my payment due?

Water/sewer bills are due upon receipt. If the bill is not paid in full within 30 days, a 1% monthly interest charge will accrue and a late notice will be sent to the mailing address or email on file for the property.

15. How long do I have to pay my water/sewer bill before I am disconnected for non-payment?

Water/sewer bills are due upon receipt. If the bill is not paid in full within 30 days, a 1% monthly interest charge will accrue and a past due notice will be sent to the mailing address or email on file for the property. Water service to the property is eligible for disconnection if the account is not paid in full within 60 days from the original bill date. Disconnections begin as early as 7:00 am on the scheduled disconnection date. A Late Payment Penalty will also be added to the account. It is your responsibility to ensure payment is posted to your account on time. Please note that we do not accept post mark dates. If you do not receive your bill or past due notice, please contact the Billing Office at 301-600-2354. We are not responsible for mail not received by the post office. Unpaid water and sewer charges are a tax lien against the property and are also subject to the Annual Tax Sale.

16. What should I do if my water service has been disconnected?

Please contact the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 to discuss the actions needed to have your service restored. The Billing Office is open from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

17. Where do I mail correspondence regarding water/sewer accounts?

All correspondence regarding your water/sewer account can be mailed to Frederick County DWSU, 4520 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704 or e-mailed to WaterSewerBilling@FrederickCountyMD.gov.

18. I cannot find my water/sewer bill. How can I check my account balance?

You can call the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 during normal business hours and a Billing Specialist can access your account balance information.

19. I am moving. Can I change the mailing address for my water/sewer bill?

Yes, you can call the Billing Office to change the mailing address for your water/sewer bill. If you are changing the mailing address to send the bill to a Third Party, a Third Party Authorization Form would need to be completed and there is a $20 set up fee for this service and $5 quarterly bill fee.

20. My water/sewer bill is high. What can I do?

There are many reasons why your water consumption could increase. Were you watering your lawn this summer or do you have additional people living in your home? Do you have a toilet leaking?

We would first recommend doing a dye test on your toilet(s). You can call the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 to request free dye packets be sent to you or you can use blue or green food coloring to test your toilet(s).  Do not use red food coloring as it can stain.  Simply drop the dye tablets (or if they were crushed during mailing, just pour the powder out) or put a few drops of the food coloring into the tank of your toilet(s) and wait 15 minutes. DO NOT FLUSH!  If any of the color shows up in the toilet bowl, the toilet is leaking. If you do not see any color in the bowl, check the tank of the toilet to verify the coloring is still in the tank. If it isn't, this is another indication the toilet is leaking. You can have a leaking toilet and not hear it.  Leaking toilets do not flood your home because they drain into the sewer lines. If ignored, your usage and bill can increase significantly in the following months. DUSWM does not offer account adjustments for leaks found inside the home.

If you do not have an inside leak, you may have an underground service line leak. Call our office at 301-600-2354 if you would like to schedule a service line leak check. There is a $50 fee for this test. Water leaks on the house side of the meter vault are the responsibility of the homeowner. We offer a one-time adjustment following the service line leak repair. Please contact our office for more information about this adjustment.

For more information about leaks, please refer to “Locating & Correcting Water Leaks in Your Home”.

21. Is there a fee for dishonored checks, credit chargebacks or unsatisfied electronic debits?

Yes, a fee will be assessed if a check is not honored, if your bank does not satisfy an electronic debit or if a credit card payment is not properly authorized. You will receive a letter in the mail from us detailing the amount of the payment and additional fees. Payment for this balance will need to be submitted to us with certified funds (cash, cashier’s check or money order).

22. I can’t afford to pay my bill by the due date. Who should I contact?

You can call the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 prior to your bill due date to inquire about a payment plan. You may also contact one of the following outside sources for financial assistance:

Salvation Army – 301-662-2311

St Vincent de Paul Society – 301-662-4676; located at 112 E. Second Street, Frederick, MD 21701. They are open Monday through Friday from 10:00am -3:00pm and require that you bring a photo ID with you.

23. I am renting out my property. Can I get the bill put in the tenant’s name?

As the deeded owner of the property, you must always receive the water/sewer bill because water/sewer bills are liens against the property and outstanding water/sewer balances as of Dec 31^st of each year will cause the property to be eligible for inclusion in the County’s Annual Tax Sale proceedings. You can, however, set up for your tenant or another bill payer to receive a copy of the bill in their name by completing a Third Party Authorization Form.  There is a $20 set up fee for this service and a $5 quarterly fee that will be included on each bill. If you would like to set up tenant billing, please mail the completed form, along with the $20 set up fee, to:  Frederick County DWSU, 4520 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704.

24. Why does my landlord get copies of my bill and late notices?

Water/sewer accounts are liens against the property in Frederick County.  Therefore, if a tenant defaults on the water/sewer bill for a particular address, the responsibility falls to the owner of that property. The owner’s name always remains on the account, even if he/she has set up Third Party (or tenant) billing. They will receive copies of past due notices to forewarn them of the possibility that the water is scheduled for disconnection due to non-payment or the inclusion of the property in the County’s Annual Tax Sale proceedings.

25. My current tenants are moving out. Can I get a meter read before the new tenants move in?

Yes, this is called an out-of-sequence meter read and there is a $35 fee for this service. Please contact the Billing Office at 301-600-2354 for the next available read date.

26. I am selling my property. How can I get my name taken off the water/sewer account?

When a property is bought/sold, the settlement company handling the property transfer is responsible for notifying our office.  Requests for a final bill must be in writing using the Property Transfer Request Form. If the date of settlement changes, the settlement company must contact our office to avoid incorrect owner/account information and additional fees.

27. I am buying a property that is on Frederick County water and/or sewer. How do I get service established in my name?

When a property is bought/sold, the settlement company handling the property transfer is responsible for notifying our office.  Requests for creating a final bill for the seller must be in writing using the Property Transfer Request Form. After the final bill is paid, the deed can be recorded and a water/sewer account will be established in your name. If the date of settlement changes, the settlement company must contact our office to avoid incorrect owner/account information and additional fees.

28. Can I get a credit on my bill for watering my lawn or filling my swimming pool?

No discounts or credits are given for filling pools or other outdoor uses.