Municipal Department
Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) / Water Revenue Bureau (WRB)
Serving Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Water Department retail water, wastewater, and stormwater service territory
Population served
1,600,000 people (EPA SDWIS PWS ID PA1510001; active community water system, Philadelphia County)
State system code
FIPS 42
Billing frequency
Monthly. PWD’s completed AMI upgrade transmits usage information for more accurate monthly bills, and the current customer materials describe monthly automatic payments and monthly water-use information. The account statement controls the exact billing and due dates.
Provider briefing
How this utility’s billing works
Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) / Water Revenue Bureau (WRB) operates as a municipal department serving Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Water Department retail water, wastewater, and stormwater service territory. Customers should use the provider’s current account-specific bill and official customer-service instructions as the final authority for deadlines, balances, and service requests.
The published water-rate framework is described as Metered volumetric water, wastewater, and stormwater charges under the Philadelphia Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board’s FY2026–FY2027 rates. Ordinary customers pay for measured water use with service/account charges and separate stormwater components; customers enrolled in the Tiered Assistance Program receive an income-based bill rather than a standard usage-only charge. The official FY2026 rate memorandum states that new water, wastewater, stormwater, and TAP-R rates are effective September 1, 2025, with the next annual rate-period change scheduled for September 1, 2026. The full rate-board tables should be used for a particular meter size, property class, and billing period.. Bills are generated monthly. pwd’s completed ami upgrade transmits usage information for more accurate monthly bills, and the current customer materials describe monthly automatic payments and monthly water-use information. the account statement controls the exact billing and due dates., and a typical residential cost reference is Approximately $75–$125 per month for a typical single-family account using 5,000–7,000 gallons, as a planning estimate that can vary by meter charges, wastewater, stormwater, property characteristics, and assistance enrollment. PWD does not present one universal 2026 single-family bill on the public customer page; the exact bill is controlled by the FY2026 rate-board tables and the account’s measured consumption. TAP customers instead receive predictable income-based bills and may earn debt forgiveness.. These descriptions are useful planning benchmarks; actual charges can change with meter size, usage, sewer averaging, local taxes, drought stages, or account-specific fees.
Wastewater and sewer calculation
PWD bills integrated water, wastewater, and stormwater services. Ordinary residential wastewater charges are connected to the account’s metered water use and the applicable Philadelphia rate-board service and volume charges; stormwater is a separate property/parcel charge. PWD’s current public residential pages do not publish a single universal winter-average percentage or a fixed sewer-to-water percentage for every account, so customers should use the statement and FY2026 rate tables. The customer guide and assistance pages also identify separate Notice of Defect and HELP processes for sewer laterals or plumbing conditions that threaten service.
Meter and infrastructure notes
PWD completed its multi-year Advanced Metering Infrastructure upgrade for more than 470,000 Philadelphia meters. A radio-enabled reading device is attached to the existing register, transmitting water-usage information securely without requiring a reader to enter the home. The current City meter page states that automatic readings are transmitted monthly for billing, while the AMI project provides daily usage information and leak alerts through MyPhillyWaterBill. If an AMR/AMI reading is unavailable, inconsistent, or a meter is damaged or inaccessible, PWD may estimate usage and customers should call (215) 685-6300 for a meter appointment or repair.
Emergency water support
Report a leak or water emergency
(215) 685-6300, Philadelphia Water Department’s 24-hour, 7-day water-emergency hotline for main breaks, taste/odor complaints, open hydrants, neighborhood flooding, water in basements, and other urgent water conditions. General inquiries and billing questions use the same number during the published 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. window.
Official starting point
Choose the right next step
Reading this profile
A practical reference for Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Water Department retail water, wastewater, and stormwater service territory
Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) / Water Revenue Bureau (WRB) is listed here as a municipal department. The profile separates account actions—such as paying a bill or requesting service—from explanatory material about rates, meters, wastewater, leaks, and delinquency.
Because utility rules can vary by account class, meter size, service address, billing date, and local ordinance, treat the published bill and current provider website as the final authority. Use this profile to locate the correct channel and prepare better questions for customer service.
If your issue is urgent, start with the provider’s emergency number or official payment route rather than waiting for an email response. Keep a written record of calls, confirmation numbers, notice dates, and documents you submit.