Government > City Departments/Offices > Finance > Utility Billing FAQs

Utility Billing Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I pay my bill?

   Here: Pay On-line
  
  No convenience fee charged Pay by Visa or MasterCard, or electronic funds transfer from your checking or savings account.

  Pay by Mail:
  City of Annapolis
  160 Duke of Gloucester Street
  Annapolis, MD 21401

  Pay in Person:
  City Hall
  160 Duke of Gloucester Street, Room 103
  Annapolis, MD 21401
  Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday except holidays.
  Drop box on the front door of City Hall (Please place your check in an envelope and provide your utility account number. Do not put cash in the drop box)

• How often will I get a utility bill?

  Utilities are billed quarterly.

• Who do I call if I have a question about my bill?

  Call Utility Billing at 410-263-7953 during business hours (see above).

• How can I get a copy of my bill?

  Online Payments, or call the Utility Billing office at 410-263-7953 for a duplicate.

• How can I change the name/address to which my bill is mailed?

  To change the mailing address or to add a name to the bill, the property owner must provide written and personally signed authorization. Bring or mail a letter or our Change of Address form to City of Annapolis, 160 Duke of Gloucester Street, Room 103, Annapolis, MD 21401 or fax to 410-263-7529. Sorry, e-mails are not accepted. Utility accounts are maintained in the name of the property owner and charges are a lien against the property.

• The water consumption on my bill was very high. What should I do?

  Promptly call our office at 410-263-7953 and request a protest form. Fill out the top part and return the form to the Utility Billing office prior to the due date on your bill. You will be contacted by the Utility Billing office after an investigation by the Department of Public Works. If there has been an error in the meter read, we will adjust your bill. We cannot make billing adjustments for high bills resulting from equipment malfunction on the owner's property (such as leaks in pipes or toilets, hoses left on, swimming pools, and so forth), or if the cause is undetermined.

• How can you read my water meter without removing the meter top?

  Many of the water meters in the City are pro-read meters. The meter is read electronically with a wand that is tapped on the top of the meter. The meter cover is not disturbed. The City is gradually converting all water meters to pro-read to increase efficiency and accuracy. Occasionally a meter is not read - usually due to a barrier that prevents access to the meter. At that time, we estimate the read based on historical usage. The next meter reading will account for the estimate.

• How is my bill calculated?

  Water meters are read quarterly. Water and sewer charges are calculated on the amount of water that has passed through your water meter since the last reading.

• Water and Sewer Fixed Charges for All Customer Types

  Meter Size	Fixed Charge Water	Fixed Charge Sewer
  1 inch or less	$9.89	$11.05
  1 ½ inch	$49.43	$55.26
  2 inch	$79.09	$88.42
  3 inch	$158.19	$176.83
  4 inch	$247.17	$276.30
  6 inch	$494.33	$552.61

• Water Consumption Charges per Thousand Gallons - Single Family Residential

  Gallons	Amount
  1 to 7,000 gallons	$3.12
  7,001 to 20,000 gallons	$6.95
  Over 20,001 gallons	$9.37

• Water Consumption Charges per Thousand Gallons - Non-Residential and Multifamily

  Gallons	Amount
  All usages	$4.65

• Sewer Service Charges per Thousand Gallons of Water Consumption for All Users

  Gallons	Amount
  All usages	$4.86

Late payment penalty 10% of all water and sewer charges

Out-of-City customers are charged triple the in-City rate for water and double the in-City rate for sewer.

• Residential Refuse

  Annual fee of $426 per unit, billed quarterly at $106.50.

• Stormwater Utility – calculated on a combination of customer type and impervious coverage.

  	Quarterly Amount
  Residential, per unit	$10.00
  Commercial, industrial, exempt with impervious coverage of:
  Up to 5,000 square feet	$37.50
  5,001 to 10,000 square feet	$75.00
  Above 10,000 square feet	$125.00

• Bay Restoration

  $7.50 per quarter for most residences; $7.50 per quarter minimum, calculated on water usage for other eligible City customers.

• Turn On/Off Fee

  $10 for each visit by the Department of Public Works 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on regularly scheduled water turn off days and until 3:00 p.m. other weekdays.

  Weekend and holiday turn-on service available for $75. Call 410-224-2140 for details and scheduling.

• Special Reading

  $15

• Lien Certificate

  $10 plus special reading of $15

• Why do I have to pay the City for refuse collection when I don't put out any trash?

  The residential refuse fee is charged for every dwelling unit. Multi-family buildings of ten or more units which have made arrangements for private refuse collection may be exempt. Exemptions are possible for mixed use buildings with private refuse collection for the entire building.