Residential Customers FAQ

 In comparison with other local jurisdictions, Prince William Water’s rates in Fiscal Year 2025 remain competitive.

Review your water bill monthly so you are familiar with how much water your household uses throughout the year. Visit our Wise Water Use Tips page to learn about wise water use like checking for leaks and addressing them in a timely manner, monitoring outdoor water use, and other suggestions that might apply to your household. In addition, you can visit our Financial Assistance webpage for more information about financial assistance for your water bill. 

A typical residential customer uses 5,000 gallons of water monthly, which results in the following monthly water and sewer bills for the years 2025, 2026 and 2027. The new rates take effect on January 1 of each year. 

Prince William Water’s average monthly bill is considered affordable or low burden using several affordability metrics.  

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends multiple affordability measures and guidelines for water and sewer service. The guidance originally developed by the EPA in relation to median household income states that customers’ bills under 4.0% of median household income are considered affordable.   

To expand upon the view of affordability for households with lower incomes, several additional metrics have been developed over the years, including Lowest Quintile Residential Indicator and the Hours Worked metrics.  

• The Lowest Quintile Residential Indicator approach evaluates a customer bill at the lowest quintile of income instead of median income, with a threshold of under 4% considered affordable.  
• The Hours Worked approach evaluates the number of hours worked at the prevailing minimum wage to pay the typical residential water and sewer bill, with the threshold of under 8 hours worked deemed affordable.  

Based on Prince William Water’s typical household consumption of 5,000 gallons per month, Prince William Water’s proposed monthly water and sewer bills for fiscal years 2025 through 2027 are less than 1% of median household income, under 2% for Lowest Quintile Residential Indicator and under 7.5 Hours Worked. 

The rates that take effect in 2025, 2026 and 2027 continue to reflect Prince William Water’s average monthly bill as affordable and continue to place Prince William Water’s average bill among the lowest in the region. 

Each water and sewer utility sets its rates based on its own priorities, operating environment, and capital needs.  Decisions about the timing of maintenance and infrastructure replacement are based on the utility’s unique system needs, customer requirements, regulatory requirements, and available resources.  

Prince William Water is careful to ensure its rates are competitive with surrounding jurisdictions while making the investments necessary to provide clean and safe drinking water to its customers and protecting the environment. Through these efforts, Prince William Water’s rates remain among the lowest in the region.

Prince William Water deferred rate adjustments during the Coronavirus 19 Pandemic. Further deferring necessary rate adjustments could require Prince William Water to postpone necessary infrastructure replacement projects. Additionally, keeping rates artificially low results in higher rate increases in the future when Prince William Water would be required to catch up with deferred infrastructure replacements.  

Setting rates three years at a time minimizes rate shock to customers and allows for strategic financial decision making.  

No, Prince William Water does not receive any tax dollars from Prince William County Government. Prince William Water is funded solely by User Rates and Fees and Developer Rates and Fees.  

Prince William Water sets its rates based on a cost-of-service model.  An independent financial consultant, Stantec Consultants, Inc., conducted a rate study for Prince William Water and recommended an adjustment to the rates. Prince William Water’s Board of Directors has approved new rates and fees effective January 1, 2025.  For more information on how we set rates, visit our 'Water Rates Information' page.

Prince William Water’s goal is to set fair and equitable rates and fees while providing clean, safe drinking water to its customers and protecting the environment. A key element of providing clean drinking water and protecting the environment is ensuring that Prince William Water’s infrastructure is maintained and in good working condition.  This requires a significant capital investment every year. The most recent factors impacting rate increases are capital replacement needs; the rising cost of construction; and increases in purchased water, purchased water reclamation services and other operating costs.  

Prince William Water purchases most of its drinking water from advanced water treatment plants owned and operated by Fairfax Water. Wholesale water rates charged by Fairfax Water have increased significantly over the past few years.  

Wastewater in western areas of Prince William County is treated at the Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA) Water Reclamation Plant, and wastewater in the eastern areas of Prince William County is treated at the H.L. Mooney Advanced Water Reclamation Facility. Both facilities are among the most advanced water reclamation facilities in the country. Recently, wastewater treatment costs at both treatment plants have also increased considerably. 

In addition, Prince William Water sets rates so that we can properly maintain our infrastructure, meet or exceed environmental regulations, and continue delivering the quality and reliability our customers expect from us.

Home treatment units may improve flavor or odor, but they do not boost safety. Lack of maintenance might cause bacteria to proliferate in the treatment system and taint the water. Before buying a home water treatment device, read the product information. Follow manufacturer directions for operation and maintenance and change the filter regularly. Certified home treatment devices should have an NSF mark. Visit the EPA's website for more information. 
 

If your garments or towels smell after laundering, check the washing machine. Wet laundry will show odors from the washing machine. After drying, the laundry smells much better but returns when damp. Washing machine scents can come from two sources:

1. Clothes may smell “sour” after prolonged wetness.  
2. Lint, filth and moisture from the washing machine can cause odor transfer to garments. To reduce odor, consult the owner's manual.  

If your monthly bill has a noticeable increase in consumption for which you can’t account for, you should:

• Check your premises for leaks. Remember that you as the customer are responsible for all water passing through the water meter, so repairing leaks on your side of the meter will save you from paying for water you may not be using. A common internal leak that can lead to a higher-than normal bill is a leaking toilet.  To detect if a toilet is leaking, you can add a few drops of food coloring or dye tablets to the tank behind the commode. Let it sit for 3 hours. If you see colored water in the commode or the water in the tank is now clear, this is an indication that you have a toilet leak.  
• Check all faucets, showers, outdoor spigots, and irrigation heads for possible leaks.  
• If you are unable to locate the cause of increased water usage, please call one of our Customer Service Representatives who will arrange for a service technician to visit your property and assist you in identifying potential causes. You can call Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at (703) 335-7950. 

An Authorized User previously established on the account can request a loved one’s account to be closed. If an Authorized User is not listed on the account, we require appropriate documentation that the person making the request is Authorized to act (typically a death certificate and Will or Executor-related documents). 

We maintain a limited number of existing grinder pumps by individual contract. If your residence contains a Prince William Water grinder pump, you will notice a service fee included on your monthly bill.  

If you are having any issues with the device, call (703) 335-7990 to request assistance.

The Property Owner is responsible for any repairs or replacements of Sump Pumps. 

We can assist the Property Owner with investigating an issue with a sump pump that was installed by Prince William Water. For more information please see the Customer Handbook.

A sewer cleanout is a pipe with a cap (generally located near a customer’s property line) that provides access to a sewer line so that blockages can be inspected and removed. 

If your cleanout is missing a cap, call (703) 335-7990 and we will replace it as a courtesy service.

To report an issue with a manhole, including tampering, please call (703) 335-7950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To report an issue outside normal business hours, please call Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7990. 

Thanks for your help in maintaining our infrastructure!

Some employees take marked Prince William Water vehicles home so that they can respond quickly to water and sewer emergencies. Be assured these vehicles are used only for official purposes to protect the health and safety of our community and the environment.

Some Prince William Water employees are considered essential personnel, including employees who are on-call for weekends and evenings. On-call employees take marked Prince William Water vehicles home so that they may respond more quickly to water and sewer emergencies. 

Our Water Quality Report provides up-to-date information about the quality of your water.

For more information, please contact Prince William Water’s Regulatory Affairs Office at (703) 331-4162 or email water_quality@pwwater.org. 
 

Please call Miss Utility at 811 or visit https://va811.com/ at least 72 hours before digging. 

Yes, Prince William Water staff can visit your property to check your meter for leaks. 

If you think your meter has a leak, contact Customer Service at (703) 335-7950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to schedule a visit.

No. However, please make sure that the main valve and all water fixtures are in the off position before your water is turned on. 

Yes, we can check your water pressure. You can call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7990 after hours to arrange for a service technician to visit your home. 

Please do not turn a meter back on. Meters are Prince William Water property, and tampering with them is prohibited. 

When the water is turned on, a Prince William Water technician must get an accurate meter reading to establish the baseline for future billing.

Call Miss Utility of Virginia at 811 or visit https://va811.com/ before you dig or excavate. They will dispatch Prince William Water to locate lines and connections from the water or sewer main through the water meter box.  

Lines and connections on private property are the responsibility of the property owner.  

Please call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Outside of business hours, call Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7990.

Here are a few recommendations if your water is off: 

1. First, check to make sure your bill has been paid. 
2. Call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
3. Outside of business hours, call Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7990. 

The Virginia Code requires that property owners are notified when tenants begin water service at their property.  The Code also requires that the owner give written permission for tenants to have water service at their property, and an Owner Authorization Form meets this requirement.

Do one of the following 2 business days before your move:

1. Call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950
2. Log in to your account, click on Requests/Updates, then click on Stop Service/Move Out. 
3. Visit our business office located at 4 County Complex Court in Woodbridge, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Do one of the following 2 business days before your move:

1. Call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950
2. Log in to your account, click on Requests/Updates, then click on Transfer Service 
3. Visit our business office located at 4 County Complex Court in Woodbridge, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

1. Call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit www.pwwater.org click on Start or Stop Service  
2. Visit our business office at 4 County Complex Court in Woodbridge, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While we cannot guarantee a restoration time, our goal is to have all service restorations completed the same day by 10 p.m. Certain factors like the number of restorations, timing of requests and field emergencies can affect restoration timing.

Our electronic bill pay vendor uses Industry Standard Security Protocols to protect your information. You will also see a security icon in your web browser. You can click on the lock icon in the browser and select "View Certificate" or "Certificate Information" to see the security certificate. 

Residents in the Yorkshire Service Area receive trash collection from Prince William Water through a contractor and pay a Refuse Collection Charge to cover the cost of service.

There is no charge for a temporary disconnection. However, normal monthly service charges will continue to be billed to your account and should be paid by the due date.

All new accounts, or existing accounts transferring service to another location, are charged an Application Fee. This fee helps us recover administrative costs associated with establishing or transferring an account. The Application Fee appears on the first month's bill.

No, technicians are not equipped to accept payment. For a full list of payment options, visit our 'Payment Options' page. 

To make recurring or scheduled payments, you will need to register your account online. Scheduled payments issued by electronic check are free. A $2.75 convenience fee is applied to credit or debit card payments.  

There are multiple options for payment locations. Visit our 'Payment Options' page to find out more. 

There are multiple options for making a bill payment. Visit our 'Payment Options' page to find out more. 

Rates and fees are based on the actual cost of the service provided. Because of this, Prince William Water cannot absorb the cost of transaction charges. Prince William Water receives no payment for the vendor's non-refundable administrative fee.

Yes, Prince William Water accepts partial payments. Payments are applied to the oldest charges first. To avoid collection or possible service disruption, please ensure that your bill is paid in full within 30 days.

No, we currently do not offer budget billing.

If you didn't receive a bill, please do one of the following: 

1. Call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
2. Email your request to CustomerService@pwwater.org. 

Inclement weather or other situations can make it difficult to read a meter. In these cases, we will estimate your bill based on previous consumption history. When the next meter reading occurs, you may receive a higher or lower bill to balance total consumption during the two billing cycles.

Monthly bills include fixed service charges based on your meter size and consumption charges based on your monthly usage. Bills also include trash service for customers in the Yorkshire area who receive trash services through an independent contractor. 

Meters are read and billed every month, and bills are due within 24 days of the bill date. 

1. Check your premises for leaks or running toilets.  
2. If you can't find the cause of increased water usage, call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950. Our representatives can arrange for a technician to visit your property and help identify potential causes.

1. Call Customer Service at (703) 335-7950. Be sure to have your account number on hand.
2. You can login to your online account or create an online account here to view your balance. (Link to Create an Account).

There is a, non-refundable Application Fee for new service requests that will appear on the first month's bill. In addition, tenants must pay an Advance Payment Deposit that is included on the first bill. All Fees are outlined in the Customer Handbook.

You may be eligible for a courtesy adjustment on your account. Information on leaks and leak adjustments is available in the Customer Handbook.

Contact Customer Service at (703) 335-7950 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or customerservice@pwwater.org, to discuss an extension. Please allow 2 business days for email inquiries. 

Bills are due within 24 days of the bill date. Late payments are assessed a 10% charge.