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City of Houston Water Bill

Bills & Taxes · Updated July 2026

Water, wastewater, and drainage service in Houston is billed by the city through Houston Public Works. One account usually covers all three lines on a single monthly statement. This guide covers how to pay, how to start or stop service, how to read the bill, and what to do when a bill looks too high.

How to pay your bill

The online portal is the quickest route. At houstonwaterbills.org you can pay with a card or bank draft, set up automatic payments, view your transaction history, and print prior statements. If you prefer not to pay online, the city accepts payment by phone, by mail with the statement stub, and at authorized in-person payment locations. Enrolling in paperless billing and autopay is the simplest way to avoid a missed due date and a late charge.

Start, stop, or transfer service

Moving into a Houston home means putting the water account in your name before or on your move-in date, and moving out means closing or transferring it so you are not billed after you leave. Residential customers can start, stop, or move service online through the Houston Public Works customer account pages. Have your service address, move date, and identification ready. Setting the start date to your actual move-in avoids paying for a prior occupant and avoids a gap that complicates the first bill.

Read your statement

A Houston statement typically breaks out water use, wastewater (sewer), and a drainage charge, along with any prior balance. Water use is metered, while the wastewater portion is often based on your metered water rather than a separate meter. Because of that, a spike in water use raises both the water and the wastewater lines at once, which is why a single leak can make a bill jump more than you expect. Compare the current reading to past months on the portal to spot an unusual change early.

What to do about a high or disputed bill

A sudden jump usually points to a leak. Start with the two most common culprits, a toilet that runs and an outdoor line or irrigation leak, since either can waste a large volume without an obvious puddle. A simple test is to check the meter when no water is running; movement means water is passing through somewhere. If you find and fix a leak, keep any repair records.

If the bill still looks wrong, contact Houston Public Works customer service to review the meter reading and your account. Ask directly about the process to dispute a charge and about any adjustment the city offers for a documented leak. If paying the full amount at once is a hardship, ask about payment arrangements and bill payment assistance rather than letting the balance go past due.

Use the official Houston Water Bills portal to pay and manage your account, and the Houston Public Works customer account page to start or stop service.

Ways to lower and control your bill

Because the wastewater charge often tracks your metered water, cutting water use lowers two lines at once. Fixing a silent toilet leak is usually the single biggest win, since a flapper that does not seal can pass thousands of gallons a month. Watering the lawn in the cooler early morning reduces evaporation and the volume you pay for. Checking the meter before and after a two-hour window with everything off is a quick way to catch a leak you cannot see. Setting up autopay and paperless billing avoids a late fee, and reviewing the monthly usage graph in the portal helps you spot a jump before it becomes a large bill.

If you are behind on a bill

Falling behind happens, and the city would rather set up an arrangement than see an account go unpaid. Contact customer service before the balance grows to ask about payment arrangements that spread the amount over time, and ask whether you qualify for any bill payment assistance the city or partner agencies offer. Acting early, while the account is still current or only slightly past due, gives you more options than waiting until service is at risk.

Frequently asked questions