Writing and sending an appeal takes about 30 minutes.
How to appeal your bill
If you have an issue with your bill or account, first email us or call 503-823-7770 to see if a Customer Service Representative can help. If they are not able to resolve your issue or concern, you have the right to file a written appeal with the Administrative Review Committee.
To appeal, write down:
- a summary of your issue or concern;
- the specific remedy you are requesting; and
- the steps or effort you have taken to resolve the issue.
You can submit your written appeal by email (PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov) or mail a printed copy to the following address:
City of Portland Customer Service
1120 SW 5th Ave., Suite 405
Portland OR 97204
The Administrative Review Committee meets each month. You do not have to be present at the meeting when the committee reviews your appeal. After the Administrative Review Committee meets and reviews your appeal, they will send you their decision in writing.
Requesting a change to the stormwater billable area category assigned to your single-family residential property
Residential single-family properties, where there is only one single-family City of Portland Utility account per tax lot, are billed for stormwater management using small, standard, or large categories, depending on how much stormwater billable area is on their property. If you believe your assigned category should be different, you can learn how to request a change to your category in our guide to requesting a change to the stormwater billable area category assigned to your single-family residential property.
Once your completed form is received, the information you provided will be compared to the City of Portland Utility Billing data to confirm that your account is eligible for review. Depending on the communication preference you defined in the review request form, an email or mailed letter will be issued to inform you of the next steps. You will receive another communication once the review is complete. If you believe the City has improperly measured stormwater billable area, and are unable to resolve this discrepancy through the review process, you may have the right to appeal the City’s determination.
About the Administrative Review Committee
The Administrative Review Committee meets monthly to review billing appeals. The committee has three members:
- one representative from the Portland Water Bureau, confirmed by the Commissioner-in-Charge
- one representative from the Bureau of Environmental Services, confirmed by the Commissioner-in-Charge
- one member of the Portland Utility Board
Administrative Review Committee meetings are open to the public. See the sidebar for information about upcoming public meetings.