You Must Pay Your Water Bill
- Telephone payment line with an automated system. Call 404-612-6830 and pick option 2 to pay your bill with an e-check, debit or credit card.
How can I pay my water bill in Atlanta?
We provide numerous options for paying your water/sewer bill for your convenience:
Online – Use our convenient and secure online bill payment option to pay your bill.
Payment windows are located on the first floor of Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, and 72 Marietta Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are all accepted.
We also take checks, money orders, and debit cards. Operating hours are 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
At Atlanta City Hall’s 68 Mitchell Street entrance, there is a Night Deposit Drop Box. (Only checks or money orders accepted.)
Western Union (i.e. Kroger, Publix) or any other Western Union location that participates. Find a location in English or Spanish near you.
Is it possible to pay property taxes in Fulton County with a credit card?
Cash, check, money order, or debit/credit card payments are accepted in the Treasurer’s Office. Make checks payable to the “Fulton County Treasurer.” Checks from two parties are not accepted. NSF checks will be charged a $20 fee and, if not paid in full, will be turned over to the Fulton County Prosecutor in 90 days. A convenience fee will be applied to credit/debit card payments. When paying in person, please bring your whole statement so that you can receive a paid receipt.
Fulton County, where is my water meter?
Checking your water meter is the best approach to see if you have a leak in your plumbing system. If you don’t know where your meter is, call the Water and Sewer Billing and Collections Customer Service line at 404-612-6830.
Check the leak indication on your water meter to see if it is shifting. The leak indicator on your meter could be a small triangular-shaped dial that turns when water is running through it, depending on the brand. If the dial moves, you most likely have a leak.
You can also take a meter reading and then wait 1 or 2 hours before taking another one (make sure no water is used during this time). You have a leak if the reading has changed.
After you’ve confirmed that you have a leak, you’ll need to figure out whether it’s coming from inside or outside your home.
Locate the main water shutoff valve in your home and turn it off. The shut-off valve is usually located in the basement or garage, right behind an outdoor faucet, or outside, directly below an outdoor faucet.
Check for movement on the leak indicator or use the meter reading method again, being sure not to use any water during this time. If the leak indicator stops moving or the meter readings do not change, there is a leak inside the house. If the leak indication continues to move or the meter readings change, the leak is between the meter and the home outside.
What steps do I need to take to set up utilities in Atlanta?
You may either phone their main office directly at 888-660-5890 or set up services online to start your Atlanta electric utilities. You’ll need to submit your name, address, contact information, service start date, and other basic information in either process.
How much does the average Atlanta water bill cost?
- For 2009 and 2010, Black and Veatch, an engineering, construction, and consulting firm, examined residential water and wastewater bills in 50 large cities for three different quantities of use: 3,750 gallons, 7,500 gallons, and 15,000 gallons. The average monthly rates for 7,500 gallons and 15,000 gallons in Atlanta were the highest. The total cost of the bills was $154.30 and $327.70, respectively. In the 3,750-gallon category, Atlanta came in second to Seattle.
- In 2010, Raftelis, a Charlotte-based consulting business, assisted in the completion of a research for the American Water Works Association. Among the 30 big systems analyzed, Atlanta’s wastewater rates were the highest. Among such systems, the city ranked fourth in terms of water rates.
- A survey of water pricing for 30 of the nation’s largest water and sewer systems was done by Circle of Blue, a network of scientists, journalists, and professionals. In Atlanta, a household of four using 150 gallons of water per day had an average monthly cost of $126. Santa Fe, New Mexico, was a distant second, with an average monthly bill of about $243.
- According to a survey done by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Atlanta had the highest average yearly residential charges among 24 cities studied in March 2008, at roughly $1,500 or $125 per month. Atlanta has the highest average commercial rates, at more than $16,000 per year, by far.
Atlanta voters have twice approved a 1% sales tax referendum for water and sewer improvements, both by large percentages.
Experts warn that water and sewer prices are growing faster than inflation across the country.
In the cities Circle of Blue studied, average water bills climbed by 9% in the previous year. Cities claim that treating water, purchasing it from wholesale suppliers, and paying staff costs more money, and that they are passing those costs on to customers, according to the organization.
Water and wastewater tariffs have each climbed by an average of about 5% in large cities since 1996, according to Piper Brandt, Raftelis’ chief operating officer. Another reason governments are hiking fees, according to Brandt, is that consumption is decreasing as consumers conserve water and use more energy-efficient appliances. Governments, according to Brandt, had below-market prices and are now trying to catch up.
Atlanta has the highest monthly bills in most categories, according to the evidence we’ve seen, none of which has been disputed. Atlanta is usually second when it isn’t first.
Users in Atlanta may not want to raise a glass of water to this one, but Smith’s allegation appears to be accurate. We give it a True rating.
In Georgia, do you have to pay for water?
Cobb Water System customers are invoiced for water and sewer usage on a monthly basis. The water meter is read once a month to measure the amount of water used.
The Water System’s revenue may be transferred to the County’s General Fund up to 10% of its total revenue. Please see the What is the County’s policy on water fund transfers? | Cobb County Georgia webpage for more information.
Rate Adjustment Effective January 1, 2022
Cobb County Water System has requested that the Board of Commissioners accept a rate change that will take effect on January 1, 2022. The request was made during the board meeting on September 14, 2021. The most recent rate hike occurred in September of 2018. Due to decreased revenues and rising operational expenses, as well as planned infrastructure upgrade projects, a rate rise is required.
The Water System’s revenues in FY20 were $12 million lower than in FY19. Our revenues are tracking about the same as they were in FY20 through June 2021, so we are not seeing the revenue recovery that we had hoped for. While our sales have decreased in recent years, our operational expenses have increased due to the following factors:
- The cost of water per 1,000 gallons purchased by the Water System has increased by 4.5 percent, with another 2.5 percent increase expected on January 1, 2022. (The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority acquires drinking water from the Water System and delivers it to our retail customers.)
- Biosolids disposal expenses increased dramatically in FY19, and they have continued to rise. In FY18, we spent $3.8 million on biosolids disposal. We now pay approximately $9 million per year. (Biosolids are the solids left behind from wastewater treatment.) Currently, biosolids are disposed of in landfills.)
- Chemicals used in the wastewater treatment process have seen a 20% increase in price.
- The cost of water and sewer pipe, as well as other components, has risen dramatically in the last year.
The Water System funds major enhancements to our water, sewer, stormwater, and wastewater treatment infrastructure in addition to everyday operations. Over the next two fiscal years, we expect to grant almost $140 million in capital improvement projects. A rate change is required so that we can continue to repair old infrastructure and ensure that our wastewater treatment plants process and clean wastewater before releasing it to the Chattahoochee River and Allatoona Lake, reducing water outages caused by main breaks.
Our average residential customer uses roughly 5,000 gallons of water per month and pays $49.42 plus a $7.00 base rate for water and sewer service.
This is the lowest rate in the Atlanta Metro region, and it’s far lower than the rates in most other large counties. The rate adjustment will result in a monthly increase of $5.43 for the average residential water and sewer user. Customers who consume less than 5,000 gallons of water will see a smaller rise. Our rates will remain the lowest in Metro Atlanta even after the rate modification. Customers will pay about $1.20 for 100 gallons of water to be withdrawn from Allatoona Lake or the Chattahoochee River, purified, delivered to their homes, removed once used, treated to a very high standard, and returned to either Allatoona Lake or the Chattahoochee River cleaner than when it was originally withdrawn so it can be used and enjoyed again.
A comparison of current and proposed water and sewer costs to other utilities in the metro Atlanta area is provided below.
Note that the Cobb rates indicated are our Unincorporated Rates, which cover stormwater services as well. The only other rates listed that also fund stormwater services are those of the City of Atlanta.
