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- Moving In or Moving Out
Moving In or Moving Out - Open or Close an Account
Water can usually be turned on or off within two working days. If you are moving and wish to open or close an account, call 804-748-1291.
On the day your water is scheduled to be turned on, make sure all faucets and spigots are turned off. If water appears to be running on the property when service is restored, it will be turned off again. Residents are responsible for any usage on an account until it has been officially closed. Please call 804-748-1291 at least two working days prior to your moving date to close your account.
- Moving In - Opening an Account
- Moving Out - Closing an Account
- Delinquency, Disconnection and Service Restoration
- Service Problems
Moving In - Opening an Account
Deposits and Fees
Opening a New Account Fee
There is a $15 fee to open an account. When opening an account, you might be required to pay a security deposit. Please call 804-748-1291 and ask a customer service representative for more information regarding the deposit procedure.
Security Deposit - Residential and Commercial Tenants
To establish water/wastewater utility service, residential tenants pay $200 and commercial tenants pay $300 (see more details below). A signed lease between tenant and the owner must be presented to Chesterfield Utilities. View the full Senate Bill 1189: Water and sewer services; liens, owners, lessees or tenants. Chesterfield Utilities may place liens on properties when tenants are delinquent and the department has made reasonable collection efforts.
A $200 deposit is required from:
- All residential tenants
- All residential customers who have had delinquent, unpaid or written-off accounts with us
- All residential customers with an outstanding balance from a closed or terminated account
- A lien foreclosed property that requires service and customer requests the lien removed
A $300 deposit is required from:
- All business or commercial customers who are renting the property for which service is requested
- All business or commercial customers with an outstanding balance from a closed or terminated account
- All business or commercial customers who have had delinquent, unpaid, or written-off accounts
- A lien foreclosed property that requires service and customer requests the lien removed
Leases
Responsible Parties
If a new customer is on a lease with another person or persons, each person (except for minor children) listed as an occupant on the lease needs to be listed on the account as a responsible party.
Tenants
All tenants are required to provide their original lease, valid identification and pay the full deposit prior to establishing an account for service. Tenants may email items to Utilities Bill Services or present these items to:
Chesterfield County Utilities
Billing and Customer Service Section
9840 Government Center Parkway
Chesterfield, VA 23832
Multiple Occupants
If there are multiple occupants on the lease who are unavailable at the time service is established, each occupant must complete the application for service for multiple tenants (PDF) and bring it to:
Chesterfield County Utilities
Billing and Customer Service Section
9840 Government Center Parkway
Chesterfield, VA 23832
Accepted Forms of Identification
The application includes a request for you to provide us with accepted forms of identification. The main form of identification accepted is your social security number. You are not, however, required to provide us with your social security number. If you do not do so, you will not be denied utility service, but you will be required to provide us with two other forms of government identification, such as:
- Green card
- Passport
- T-number (number/card issued by the Internal Revenue Service for tax payment purposes)
- Valid, state-issued driver’s license
- Valid, state-issued identification card
Please Note: A credit card will not be accepted as a form of identification.
Returned Check Fee
A $50 fee will be charged on all returned checks.
Moving Out - Closing an Account
It is the responsibility of the customer to call the Utilities department to close the account and get a final meter reading. The bill generated from this final reading will be marked final closing bill. The final bill will be deducted from the deposit (if any).
Remaining Balances
If there is a balance left on any deposit after the final bill is deducted, it will be returned to the customer at the last known address on file for the customer. If there is a balance due on the account, the customer will be billed for the balance due. If a customer closes an account with a balance due and then seeks utility service at another location in the county, the balance due at the prior location will be transferred to the new service location. That new service will be subject to immediate disconnection.
Closing a Sewer-only Account
Sewer-only accounts (whether connected to the system or not) and water and sewer accounts (water connected and sewer not connected) cannot be closed until another person calls us for service and becomes responsible for the account that is to be closed.
Delinquency, Disconnection and Service Restoration
Billing and Delinquency
Customers will receive bi-monthly water and sewer bills. Customers are allowed 25 days from the date of the bill to make payment.
Delinquent Payments
Payments received after the 25th day are delinquent and a penalty of $1.50 or 5% of the unpaid balance, whichever is greater, will be added to the amount due on the account. Additionally, an interest charge of 1% of the delinquency will be added to all unpaid balances for every month that the bill is delinquent.
Red Bills
We will mail all delinquent customers a past due water / sewer bill (“Red Bill”) as a reminder that payment has not been received. This Red Bill identifies for the customer the past due amount.
Notice of Disconnection
The Red Bill also serves as a notice for delinquent accounts. In addition to providing the balance due, the Red Bill also gives notice of the final due date for payment.
Final Notice of Disconnection
If the Red Bill for any utility charge remains delinquent beyond the final due contained in the Red Bill, we will hand deliver a courtesy notification tag (blue door hanger) to the delinquent customer’s residence or place of business prior to water service being disconnected.
Courtesy Notification
The courtesy notification is delivered approximately 25 days after the final due date, giving delinquent customers additional time to pay their bill before service is disconnected. The courtesy notification indicates that payment of the delinquent amount must be received the following business day in order to avoid disconnection. If the customer is home, the courtesy notification tag is left with the customer. If the customer is not home, a tag is left at the residence or place of business.
Additional Fee
There is a $10 fee added to the amount of the delinquent bill when the courtesy notification is delivered.
Disconnection
If the customer fails to comply with the courtesy notification to pay the delinquent amount (which includes the $10 courtesy notification fee), we will issue a work order to have the customer’s water terminated. A service technician will disconnect service and deliver a disconnection notice tag (white door hanger) to the service address informing the customer that their water service has been disconnected due to nonpayment.
Disconnection Fee
If service is disconnected, there will be an additional $20 disconnection fee added to the delinquent account before service is restored. Service will only be disconnected during normal business hours.
Restoration of Service
In order to have service restored, customers must make full payment of all delinquent amounts to the Utilities department. Service will not be restored until full payment of the delinquent account, including the $10 courtesy notification and $20 disconnection fees, has been received. Service will not be restored to a disconnected account except during normal business hours.
Disconnection and Restoration of Commercial and Tenant Accounts
The disconnection process described above applies to both residential and commercial properties, and is the same both for customers who are owners and for customers who are tenants.
Third-Party Notification Program
Under the third-party notification program, a family member, friend, clergy member or appointed designee by the customer will automatically receive a copy of all past-due bills or disconnection notices. If you or someone you care about is interested in participating in the third-party notification program, please print and complete the third-party notification form (PDF) and mail to:
Chesterfield County Department of Utilities
P.O. Box 608
Chesterfield, VA 23832
For additional information, please contact 804-748-1291.
Service Problems
If you have any problems with your water service, please check with a neighbor to see if they have the same problem. If you cannot locate the problem, you should contact the Billing and Customer Service at 804-748-1291 during normal business hours.
Emergencies After Business Hours
For emergencies only after business hours, please contact 804-748-1310.
Utility Systems Law
It is unlawful for any person to remove, tamper with, or damage any meter, meter box or other apparatus of equipment belonging to or used by the utilities department connection with its utility systems as defined in the county code and the code of Virginia.
Fees and Procedures
All fees and procedures are subject to change as established and set by the Board of Supervisors and the utilities director. The county does not guarantee either the continued or the uninterrupted use of the utility service for which you are applying.
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George B. Hayes
Director of Utilities
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Utilities
Physical Address
9840 Government Center Parkway
Chesterfield, VA 23832
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 608
Chesterfield, VA 23832-0009
Phone: 804-748-1271Fax: 804-751-4607
Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(excluding holidays)Water and Wastewater Emergencies
804-748-1310Billing and Accounts
- Email: Billing and Account Inquiries
- Phone: 804-748-1291
- Payments by Phone:
844-449-7664 - Technical Support for Online and Phone Payments:
800-420-1663