Portland Water Utility 2026: Bill Pay, Login & Phone

Pay Your Portland Water Bill, Log In and Get Customer Service Help

The Portland Water Bureau manages drinking-water service for the City of Portland, Oregon. Its customer service team also handles combined water, sewer and stormwater billing. If you need to pay your bill, access your account, start service or report a water emergency, use the official city resources below.

Customer service: 503-823-7770
Water emergency: 503-823-4874
Water quality: 503-823-7525
Email: PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov
Office: 664 N Tillamook Street, Portland, OR 97227

This guide covers Portland, Oregon. Portland Water District in Maine is a different utility with its own billing system and customer service number.

How to Pay Your Portland Water Bill Online

Portland’s official Customer Self Service system lets you make payments, view bills, manage AutoPay and review water usage. You can also make a one-time payment without registering for a customer account.

  1. Open the official payment page. Visit Portland Water Bureau Pay My Bill.
  2. Choose your payment route. Select Log in to your account if you already have online access, or Make a one-time payment if you do not want to sign in.
  3. Identify your utility account. Have your latest bill and account number ready. Follow the identification instructions in the payment system.
  4. Confirm the balance. Check the service address, current charges, any overdue amount and the total payment you intend to make.
  5. Select a payment method. Choose an electronic bank-account payment or an accepted credit or debit card.
  6. Review the fee. Card payments have a processing fee. Payments made directly from a bank account through ACH avoid this fee.
  7. Submit the payment. Save the receipt or transaction confirmation until the payment appears on your account.
Save the card-processing fee: Portland charges a 2.95% processing fee on credit and debit card payments, with a minimum of $1.25. ACH payments from your checking or savings account do not have that processing fee.

For example, paying a $250 utility bill by card adds approximately $7.38 in processing fees. Choosing ACH can avoid this extra cost.

Payment account restriction: If two payments are returned within a 12-month period, the city may restrict check and ACH payments for one year following the second returned payment. Card, cash, money order and cashier’s check options may remain available.

Portland Water Bureau Account Login and Registration

Portland uses its Customer Self Service portal for online utility account management. You can use the portal to view billing history, monitor consumption, arrange payments and change billing preferences.

Sign In to Your Existing Account

  1. Open Portland Customer Self Service.
  2. Enter your registered email address and password.
  3. After logging in, review the Account Details screen.
  4. Select the appropriate option for payments, billing history, usage or account services.

Register for Online Access

  1. Open the city’s official payment page.
  2. Select Register for online access.
  3. Choose Account Registration in the Customer Self Service portal.
  4. Enter your name and utility account details as requested.
  5. Complete the email and password setup instructions.
  6. Sign in and confirm the service address linked to your account.

Once registered, you can access up to three years of billing and meter-reading usage history. This can be useful when comparing water consumption or investigating an unusually high bill.

Forgot Your Password or Cannot Register?

Use the account-recovery options shown on the sign-in page. If you previously used the same email address for another Portland utility account, registration may require assistance.

The city can help link eligible accounts that belong to the same customer name. Call 503-823-7770 or email PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov.

Login tip: Registering for online access does not automatically mean you have stopped receiving paper bills. Portland also sends email bill notifications to registered customers. Paperless billing must be managed through account preferences.

Portland Water Bill Payment Methods, Fees and Locations

Besides online payment, Portland accepts utility bill payments by automated phone, mail, at its Walk-in Center and through participating bank bill-pay services.

Payment MethodHow to PayFee or Important Detail
Online bank payment Use Customer Self Service or guest payment. ACH payments avoid the card-processing fee.
Credit or debit card Pay online or through the automated phone system. 2.95% processing fee; $1.25 minimum.
Automated phone Call 503-823-7770 and select option 1. Available 24 hours a day.
In person 664 N Tillamook Street, Portland. Cash, check and money order accepted.
Mail City of Portland, PO Box 4216, Portland, OR 97208-4216. Allow delivery and processing time.
AutoPay Set up recurring payments through your online account. Use ACH to avoid recurring card fees.
Pay by text Enroll through Customer Self Service. Reply to an authorized payment notification.

Pay by Automated Phone

Call 503-823-7770 and select option 1. The automated payment service is available around the clock.

Have your account details and payment information ready. Remember that card payments carry the same 2.95% processing fee.

Pay at the Portland Water Bureau Walk-in Center

Address:
664 N Tillamook Street
Portland, OR 97227

Payment counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM, except city holidays.

Get directions to the payment center

Water Bill Payment Mailing Address

City of Portland
PO Box 4216
Portland, OR 97208-4216

Mail your check or money order with the account details and payment coupon from your statement. Do not send cash through the mail.

Mail versus office address: The PO Box is the bill-payment remittance address. The Tillamook Street address is the public Walk-in Center. Using the wrong destination can delay processing.

When Is Your Portland Water Bill Due?

Portland utility bills are due 21 days after the billing date. Many residential customers receive bills every three months, while others have monthly or every-other-month billing.

Because a quarterly bill covers several months of service, the amount may be considerably larger than a typical monthly utility payment.

Late Payment Fees and Disconnection Timeline

Days After BillingCity ActionPublished Charge
21 daysPayment dueNo additional fee at this stage
28 daysCarrying charge1% of most recent overdue bill
35 daysReminder and first late fee$5
42 daysPre-shutoff or urgent notice$14
49 daysLast-chance notice for applicable accounts$35 when delivered
56 daysWater shutoff authorized$120

Not every account follows exactly the same sequence. The city notes that charges and notices can depend on account type and circumstances.

Check the official utility rates and charges for current fee rules.

Need More Time to Pay?

Portland offers payment arrangements, including small interest-free plans. You can request additional time or divide an outstanding balance into scheduled payments.

  1. Sign in to Customer Self Service.
  2. Open the Payment tab from Account Details.
  3. Select Payment Arrangements.
  4. Follow the request form to select a payment schedule.
  5. Review the dates and make payments according to the approved arrangement.

You can also call 503-823-7770. The city generally requires the outstanding balance to be paid before the next billing cycle for customers billed every other month or quarterly.

Read the official payment arrangement instructions.

Already scheduled for disconnection? Some accounts require direct customer-service assistance rather than an online arrangement. Contact the city before relying on an online request to prevent shutoff.

How to Start, Stop or Transfer Portland Water Service

If you are buying a home, selling property or changing rentals in Portland, you should update the utility account so the correct person is responsible for future bills.

Start Water Service at a New Address

  1. Open the official Start, Stop or Transfer Service page.
  2. Select the online service request option.
  3. Enter your name and the service address.
  4. Provide the date your billing responsibility begins.
  5. Add your mailing address, telephone number and email.
  6. Submit the request and retain confirmation of the service date.

Portland estimates that an account-opening, closing or transfer request usually takes around 15 minutes to complete.

What New Property Owners Need

Property owners should have the exact service address, legal responsibility date and mailing information ready. If the property is newly purchased, use the date established in the closing transaction.

What Tenants Should Know

Renters may need the landlord’s name, the service address and the date their billing responsibility begins or ends.

Before submitting a request, review your lease. Some Portland rentals include water, sewer and stormwater charges in rent or allocate them through a property manager. Do not open a second utility account unless you are responsible for direct billing.

Stop or Transfer Service

Use the same city service page when moving out. If you sold a property, you will generally need the new owner’s name, the date your responsibility ended and a forwarding address for the final bill.

Important Portland property-owner rule: Requesting a meter shutoff is not the same as permanently removing water service. The property owner may remain responsible for ongoing charges even when the meter is turned off. Completely removing a service connection is a separate, potentially expensive process.

For questions about a transfer or final bill, contact 503-823-7770.

Understanding Portland Water, Sewer and Stormwater Charges

Portland’s utility statement covers more than drinking water. The Portland Water Bureau manages water services and customer billing, while the Bureau of Environmental Services manages sewer and stormwater infrastructure.

Bill ItemWhat It Pays For
Drinking water Water treatment, supply, pipes, water meters and system maintenance.
Sewer Wastewater collection, pumping and treatment.
Stormwater Managing rainwater runoff and drainage infrastructure.
Base charge Meter reading, billing, collection and customer account administration.
Portland Harbor Superfund The city’s share of Portland Harbor environmental cleanup costs.
Flood Safety Benefit Fee Required funding for regional flood-safety services.

Most Portland utility rates change on July 1, rather than January 1. When comparing bills from different years, look at the applicable fiscal-year rate schedule.

Visit Portland’s official utility rates page for the applicable 2026–2027 rates. The exact charge depends on usage, meter/account details and applicable sewer or stormwater classifications.

Why Your Water Bill May Be High Even With Low Usage

Portland has base charges and other non-consumption charges. As a result, a property with very little water use may still receive a utility bill. A minimum base-charge policy was introduced as part of the 2025–2026 water rate changes.

See How to Read Your Portland Utility Bill for a breakdown of the charges.

High Water Bill? Check for Leaks and Request an Adjustment

An unexpectedly high Portland utility bill may result from a leaking toilet, underground service line, irrigation system or a longer billing period. Comparing the dollar amount alone is not enough to identify the cause.

Check Your Water Usage

  1. Log in to Customer Self Service.
  2. Open the usage or billing history section.
  3. Compare current consumption with an earlier billing period of similar length.
  4. Check toilets, faucets, outdoor connections and irrigation equipment.
  5. If a leak is found, arrange for repair and document the date and work performed.
  6. Contact the Portland Water Bureau if usage remains unexplained.

The Water Bureau maintains public infrastructure through the meter. Pipes and fixtures on the customer’s side of the meter are generally the property owner’s responsibility.

Can Portland Adjust a High Bill After a Leak?

Yes, qualifying customers may request an adjustment after repairing a leak on their side of the meter. Portland’s policy distinguishes between leaks that enter the sewer system and outdoor or underground leaks that do not.

For qualifying accounts, the city allows one adjustment in a 12-month period for an underground/outdoor leak that does not enter the sewer system and one for a leak that does enter the sewer system.

Customers generally must make reasonable efforts to locate the leak and begin repairs within 30 days of learning about abnormal consumption, and complete repairs within 90 days. Exceptions may be considered through the appeals process.

How to Request a Leak Adjustment

  1. Repair the leak first.
  2. Record when the leak was discovered and repaired.
  3. Prepare the customer name, utility account number and service address.
  4. Describe the leak and how it was fixed.
  5. Open Request a Bill Adjustment Due to Water Leak.
  6. Follow the submission instructions or contact customer service by phone or email.

City staff may check the water meter to verify that the leak has been repaired.

Local Portland tip: If the high bill occurred during summer, check outdoor irrigation and garden watering first. If consumption rises during rainy months when outdoor watering is minimal, investigate toilets, hidden service-line leaks and other continuous water use.

Portland Water Bill Discounts and Financial Assistance

Portland offers utility bill assistance for eligible residential customers. Programs can help with ongoing discounts, past-due balances and payment scheduling.

Financial Assistance Program

Income-qualified single-family residential customers may be eligible for utility bill discounts and other support. The city also offers crisis assistance for qualifying circumstances, subject to current program rules.

  1. Open the official Financial Assistance page.
  2. Review the current eligibility requirements.
  3. Prepare proof of household income and requested account information.
  4. Complete the online application or request a mailed form.
  5. Submit supporting documents and respond to any city follow-up.

Approved customers generally need to reapply every two years to continue receiving assistance.

Monthly Statements Instead of Quarterly Bills

Many Portland residential customers receive utility bills every three months. If budgeting for a large quarterly payment is difficult, the city offers a monthly-statement option.

The program does not lower the total utility charge, but spreads payments across smaller monthly amounts.

  1. Sign in to Customer Self Service.
  2. Select Monthly Statements from the left sidebar.
  3. Review the terms and conditions.
  4. Choose Agree to enroll.

Official instructions: Register for Monthly Utility Statements.

Clean River Rewards Stormwater Discount

Portland’s Clean River Rewards program may reduce stormwater charges by up to 35% for eligible properties that safely manage runoff, such as through approved on-site stormwater facilities.

Eligibility is based on the city’s stormwater rules and the specific property. Learn more through the Portland Water Bureau customer service resources.

Report a Portland Water Outage, Main Break or Pressure Problem

For a sudden loss of water, water flowing down a street, a suspected public main break or another urgent water-service problem, use the Water Bureau’s 24-hour emergency number.

24-hour water emergency: 503-823-4874

This number is separate from ordinary billing customer service.

Before Reporting an Outage

  1. Check whether more than one faucet is affected.
  2. Ask nearby households whether they are experiencing the same interruption.
  3. Check whether your building manager has announced maintenance.
  4. Record the exact address, time the interruption began and whether water is visible outside.
  5. Call the Water Bureau emergency line with these details.

Low Water Pressure or Water Quality Questions

If you notice unusual water color, taste, odor or pressure and there is no immediate emergency, contact the Water Quality Line.

Water quality phone: 503-823-7525
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
Email: WBWaterLine@portlandoregon.gov

For current advisories and official water-service announcements, check the Portland Water Bureau website.

Safety: Do not enter flooded areas near damaged electrical equipment. Do not open city water meter equipment or attempt repairs on public mains. If there is an immediate threat to life, call 911.

Portland Water Bureau Office and Contact Information

ServicePhone or ContactHours
Utility billing 503-823-7770 Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM
Automated bill payment 503-823-7770, option 1 24 hours
Water emergencies 503-823-4874 24/7
Water quality and pressure 503-823-7525 Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
Water efficiency 503-823-4527 Contact department
Water service installation 503-823-7368, option 5 Contact department

Walk-in Customer Service

Portland Water Bureau Walk-in Center
664 N Tillamook Street
Portland, OR 97227

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM, excluding holidays.

Open directions to the Walk-in Center

Customer service email: PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov

Official department directory: Contact the Portland Water Bureau.

Common Portland Water Utility Questions

What is the official Portland water bill payment website?

Use Portland.gov Water Bill Payment. It provides account login, one-time payment and other official payment options.

What is the Portland Water Bureau phone number?

Call 503-823-7770 for billing and customer service. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 AM–5 PM.

Can I pay my Portland water bill without logging in?

Yes. The city’s official payment page includes a one-time payment option that does not require registered customer account access.

Does Portland charge a fee for online water bill payments?

Credit and debit card payments carry a 2.95% processing fee, with a $1.25 minimum. Electronic ACH payments directly from a bank account avoid this fee.

How do I pay my Portland water bill by phone?

Call 503-823-7770 and choose option 1. The automated phone payment system operates 24 hours a day.

When is a Portland water bill due?

The payment deadline is generally 21 days after the billing date. Check the exact date on your statement and contact the Water Bureau early if you need a payment arrangement.

Can I receive monthly bills instead of quarterly statements?

Yes. Eligible customers can enroll in the monthly-statement option through Customer Self Service. The total charge is not reduced, but the payment schedule is divided into smaller monthly amounts.

Can Portland Water Bureau adjust a bill after a leak?

Qualifying customers may receive a water or sewer bill adjustment after repairing a leak. Eligibility depends on leak type, repair timing and the city’s adjustment policy.

What number should I call for a Portland water main break?

Call the Water Bureau emergency line at 503-823-4874. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Is Portland Water Bureau the same as Portland Water District in Maine?

No. Portland Water Bureau serves Portland, Oregon, and surrounding service areas. Portland Water District serves the Greater Portland area of Maine. Maine customers should use Portland Water District’s official website or call 207-761-8310.

Official Portland Water Utility Links

Reviewed: October 23, 2026. Payment fees, rates, account procedures and financial assistance rules can change. Confirm important account-specific details through the Portland Water Bureau before completing a transaction.

Independent information notice: WaterUtilities.org is not operated by or affiliated with the City of Portland Water Bureau. It does not process payments, manage utility accounts or dispatch emergency crews. Official transactions are completed through the City of Portland and its authorized service providers.

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