Bill payment questions

Information
Frequently asked questions about online access and paying your sewer, stormwater, and water bill.

Frequently asked questions

I didn't sign up for paperless billing. Why am I receiving emails that my bill is ready?

We email you to let you know that we have billed your account and that your bill is ready to be paid. You will still receive a paper copy of your bill. If you'd like to save some trees and a stamp and reduce clutter, sign up for paperless billing. We'll stop mailing paper copies of your bill and will notify you via email when we charge your account.

How do I recognize my account number?

All accounts have 10-digit numbers beginning with the number 2.

I'm having difficulty registering an account because I've used my email address on another sewer/stormwater/water account.

To combine all your sewer/stormwater/water accounts to one email address and password, please call Customer Service at 503-823-7770 or email us at PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on holidays.

I can't sign in to the view/pay bill website with my existing portlandoregon.gov account.

You might not have registered on our new Customer Self Service system. You must complete account registration even if you had a login with our previous view/pay bill website. Go to our Pay Your Sewer, Stormwater, and Water Page and click Account Registration to create a new login.

Can I have multiple logins linked to the same account?

No. You can only link one email address to an account. However, you can choose to send electronic bill notifications to a secondary email address. You can register the secondary email address online in the Update Account Information screen found in the My Profile tab.

Can I cancel a payment I just made online?

Yes, but not online. To cancel an online payment, you must contact Customer Service at 503-823-7770 before 5 p.m. on the same day you made the payment. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on holidays.

How soon will a payment made on your view/pay bill website post to my sewer/stormwater/water account?

Payments post to your sewer/stormwater/water account on the day you make them. If you need to make a payment quickly or want to make a partial payment on your account, call Customer Service at 503-823-7770 or email us at PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on holidays. Since payment processing time can vary, we cannot make guarantees on transaction time. The City of Portland submits payments for processing at the end of each business day. If you want to make sure your payment went through, contact your bank, credit union, or financial institution.

Who is my water provider?

Go to the Regional Water Providers Consortium website and enter your address in their "Who is my water provider?" tool in lower left corner of the homepage.

Can I view my water consumption online?

Yes. You can view water consumption and billing details for each meter reading in the Account Details screen on our Customer Self Service system.

What is a CCF?

The City of Portland measures water consumption in CCFs or hundred cubic feet. Use this tool to calculate how many gallons of water you used during a billing period.

Where is my water meter?

At residential properties, the water meter is generally located in the ground near the curb in front of the house. The meter box will have a metal lid with “Water Meter” marked on top. 

I’d like more information about the City’s policies that relate to my bill. Where can I find those?

The City has a number of policies that relate to your account and bill. These include:

  • Account management policy: The City is authorized to charge for the services we provide and required to inform account holders of outstanding balances or collections charges, offer financial assistance and payment plans, and provide a billing appeal process. Account holder responsibilities include paying on or before the due date to avoid late fees or water shutoffs.
  • Rights and billing appeal: You have the right to appeal your bill. If you have a concern about your bill, please contact us at 503-823-7770 or email us at PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov. If we can’t resolve your concern, you may file a formal, written appeal to the Administrative Review Committee at no cost.
  • Leak adjustment policy: Customers may qualify for bill adjustments when property-side leaks impact utility bills. Learn more about how to request a bill adjustment due to a water leak.
  • Collection of personal information policy: Personal information, including Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers, are collected from account holders to help manage accounts. Only Customer Service staff who are authorized and have signed a confidentiality statement can view Social Security and driver license fields. The City will not intentionally share personal customer information unless for debt recovery or account management purposes. The City will not deny service if an account holder refuses to provide Social Security and driver license information.