Water billing and account changes

Find out how to view and pay your water bill. You can also send us a request to open, close or change the details of your water account.

Getting your bills online makes payment easy, convenient and lets you see all your previous bills.

Sign up or sign in for online water account

On this page

  1. Sign up for online service
  2. Get your bill
  3. Pay your bill
  4. Open, close or change your account
  5. Water, wastewater and stormwater rates and fees
  6. Avoid high water bills
  7. Apply for bill adjustment
  8. Contact us

Sign up for online service

The City of Waterloo has an online service to:

  • view water and tax bills
  • pay water and tax bills
  • get bill notifications
  • track water usage

Customers must opt-in to use the service. Paper bills will be sent by default.

To add multiple water and tax accounts to your profile:

  1. Sign up using a single account and email
  2. Once logged into the service, select 'Add Account' in top menu to add more accounts

If you already use our pre-authorized payment option it will continue as usual. 

Sign up for online service

Get your bill

Water bills are issued every 2 months. New water accounts will get paper bills in the mail by default. 

Paper bills are automatically stopped when you sign up for our online billing service.

You can also use the online service to get email notifications and reminders about your bills.

Get your bill online 

Pay your bill

You can pay your bill online in 2 ways:

1. Use our online service

You can pay through our online service using:

  • bank account details (no fee)
  • debit card (0.75% fee)
  • credit card (1.75% fee)

You can pay each time a bill is issued, or set up automatic payments. 

If you already use our pre-authorized billing service it will continue as usual. 

Pay using our online service

2. Use online or telephone banking

Water bills can be paid through most online or telephone banking services.

The payee name can vary. The most common are “Waterloo water” and “Waterloo city water.”

Other tips include:

  • use your 7-digit water account number as the account number
  • do not leave any spaces or decimal points between the numbers
  • pay at least 3 business days in advance of the due date

Other ways to pay

Set up pre-authorized payments

Using this plan we automatically withdraw the amount of your water bill from your bank account.

You will still receive a bill with the due date and total amount to be withdrawn.

Download application form (PDF)

Submit completed forms and void cheque:

Revenue Services
City of Waterloo
100 Regina Street South
PO Box 337, Station Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2J 4A8

To cancel a pre-authorized payment or change your banking information, download and submit a cancellation/change form (PDF).

Send a cheque by mail

Write your water account number on the back of a cheque (payable to the City of Waterloo), include the bottom portion of your invoice and send to:

Revenue Services
City of Waterloo
100 Regina Street South
PO Box 337, Station Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2J 4A8

Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a receipt. Do not send cash.

Use cash, cheque or debit in person

During business hours: visit the revenue counter at city hall or front desk at the Waterloo Service Centre. Cash, cheque and debit are accepted. Please bring your entire bill with you.

After hours: drop off a payment in the secure deposit box at the William Street entrance of city hall. Only cheques payable to the City of Waterloo are accepted. Please do not use cash. Other tips if paying by this method:

  • write your account number on the back of cheques

  • include the payment stub from your bill

  • include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a receipt

Open, close or change your account

As a property owner you can open, close or change your account information online. 

Tenants can close or change account information.

Open, close or change account online

Open an account by phone, email, fax or in person
 Property owners:
  1. At least 4 days before your closing date contact us by phone at 519-747-8718, by email at revenue@waterloo.ca, or visit during business hours at city hall. 
  2. Submit the following information:
  • full name(s)
  • service address
  • legal possession date
  • lawyer's name and contact number
  • existing City of Waterloo water accounts (if you are moving to a another property within Waterloo)
  • personal phone number and email
  • mailing address if different from the service address
Tenants:
  1. Complete a billing designate application form (PDF). 
  2. At least two weeks before your lease starts, submit form by email to revenue@waterloo.ca, by fax to 519-747-8760, or in person at city hall (during business hours).

Fees apply for new account setup.

Change of address by email, fax or in person

If you need to change your billing address after account setup:

  1. Complete a change of address form (PDF).
  2. Submit by email to revenue@waterloo.ca, by fax to 519-747-8760, or in person at city hall (during business hours).

Close an account by phone, email or in person
Property owners:
  1. Contact us (at least 4 business days before your closing date) by phone at 519-747-8718, by email at revenue@waterloo.ca, or visit during business hours at city hall. 
  2. Submit the following:
  • account number
  • legal closing date for existing property
  • a forwarding address
  • personal phone number and email
Tenants:
  1. Contact us (at least 4 business days before your lease ends) by phone at 519-747-8718, by email at revenue@waterloo.ca, or visit during business hours at city hall. 
  2. Submit the following:
  • current Waterloo water utility account number
  • date your lease expires
  • mailing address where the final bill can be sent
  • personal phone number and email

Authorize a property management company

If you want a property management company to handle water billing on your behalf:

  1. Complete an authorization form (PDF).
  2. Submit by email to revenue@waterloo.ca or in person at city hall (during business hours).

Account request fees

Account requests

 2024
New account set up (change in occupancy) $42.00
Water bill reprint (first reprint free per account for current year) $5.00
Consumption statement $37.00
Request a water certificate $87.00
Statement of account  $10.00
Refund processing (for payments to incorrect account) $27.00
Transfer processing (for payment transfer between accounts) $15.00

View our Water Collection Policy (PDF) for full details.

Water, wastewater and stormwater rates and fees

The City of Waterloo has new water, wastewater, and stormwater rates, approved January 1 2024. These rates support safe and reliable essential services for today and future generations by maintaining and upgrading infrastructure for:

  1. Providing safe drinking water
  2. Collecting wastewater from sinks, toilets and drains
  3. Managing rainwater runoff to prevent flooding and pollution 

About 51% of these fees go to the Region of Waterloo to pay for supplying safe drinking water and treating wastewater.

Water and wastewater rates

The table below shows how much you pay for each cubic metre of water and wastewater. (1 cubic metre = 1,000 litres = 264 gallons) 

We bill wastewater based on your metered water use at a 1:1 ratio. (10 cubic meters of water used = 10 cubic meters of wastewater billed)

Utility 2023 2024
Water $2.17 $2.32
Wastewater $2.69 $2.81
Monthly stormwater rates

The city regularly maintains and upgrades stormwater infrastructure to improve water quality and withstand extreme weather.

The table below shows your monthly stormwater utility fee, based on how much runoff your property creates.

Apply for a stormwater credit

We offer a credit of up to 45% off for residential properties that manage their runoff. Visit our stormwater management page for more information on runoff and the credit program.

Residential 2023 2024
Small $10.28 $11.19
Medium $15.39 $16.79
Large $21.01 $22.88
Multi-residential 2023 2024
Small $29.49 $32.11
Medium $124.75 $135.85
Large $664.73 $723.89
Institutional 2023 2024
Small $47.79 $52.04
Medium $129.15 $140.64
Large $264.44 $287.98
Commercial and industrial 2023 2024
Small $39.54 $43.06
Medium $184.65 $201.08
Large $595.06 $648.02
Largest $1507.24 $1,641.38
Monthly meter service fees

Monthly service fees apply to all properties with water service. Each property has a meter to measure use, and the meter size depends on the property's needs. Find out about how we read meters on our water meter page. 

The table below shows your monthly meter service fee.

For questions about your meter, contact customer service at 519-886-2310 or utilities@waterloo.ca.

Property use 

Meter size

2023

2024

Residential single home             

15 mm

$3.47

$3.63

Residential small apartments

25 mm

$6.92

 $7.24

Small commercial and industrial

40 mm

$12.64

 $13.22

Large commercial and industrial*

50 mm

$15.91

 $16.64

Large commercial and industrial*

75 mm

$33.16

 $34.69

Large commercial and industrial*

100 mm

$48.65

 $50.89

Large commercial and industrial*

150 mm

$82.74

 $86.55

Large commercial and industrial*

200 mm

$124.68

 $130.42

Large commercial and industrial*

250 mm

$166.11

 $173.75

*There is an additional $25.50 fire protection fee for large commercial and industrial properties.

View the fees and charges bylaw for a full list of water fees starting on page 52.

Avoid high water bills

Avoid surprising high bills by looking around your home for leaks in toilets and faucets.

Common causes include:

  • toilets not working properly
  • water softeners
  • leaking taps
  • sump pump issues
  • reverse osmosis units
  • irrigation systems
  • ruptured pipes inside your home

You are responsible for your water usage, even if there is a leak. If you receive a high bill resulting from a water leak, we will work with you to develop a payment plan to manage your bill.

Learn more about our bill adjustment process below.

You can also take part in the Region of Waterloo's free Water Efficient Technology (WET) program, or hire a plumber to check for leaks.

Detect leaks early with your advance meter

Smart meters are being installed over the next 5 years. These allows us to notify you if we detect water usage outside of normal patterns.

This 'advance metering infrastructure' will allow you to track your own water usage, history and trends.

Apply for bill adjustment

The high water bill adjustment policy provides financial relief to customers with an abnormally high water bill. This happens when a property has plumbing leaks in toilets, faucets and/or fixtures. 

Eligible residents can apply once every 10 years per property. Adjustment is capped at $2000 and calculated by rebating 50% of consumption above the customer's 12 month average.

Adjustments will be applied to one invoice only.

To qualify you must:

  • live in a low-density residential home
  • have a water leak is inside the property
  • have water consumption three times the previous 12 month average
  • have no evidence of tampering of the city's water meter

Your property does not qualify if:

  • it is used for industrial, commercial, institutional or multi-residential purposes
  • it was vacant or unattended when the leak occurred
  • high water usage was for a pool, hot tub, rink, irrigation or other legitimate purpose

Application must be made within 90 days of the high water bill.

Apply for high water bill adjustment

View the High Water Bill Adjustment Policy (PDF) for full details.

Contact us

For questions about your account, call us Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 519-747-8718 or TTY 1-866-786-3941. You can email us any time at revenue@waterloo.ca.