A postcard is in the mail alerting Baltimore City and County customers that their water bills will be resuming soon, and explaining that their first bill will be higher than normal, covering the months of May, June, and July.

The Baltimore City Department of the Public Works (DPW) is confident that the City’s water billing system will be fully operational in the coming weeks.  The May 6, 2019, ransomware attack temporarily shut down the City’s computer network, leaving DPW unable to produce water bills. 

Water meters in Baltimore City and Baltimore County were NOT impacted by the ransomware attack. They continuously, and accurately, registered water consumption during the past three months. However, due to the network outage, DPW was unable to process this data and produce water bills.

“We are working diligently to restore the water billing system. DPW is carefully testing and evaluating the water billing system to make sure it is accurate before putting it back into operation,” said Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E. 

The Postcard’s in the Mail

Set to start arriving this week, the postcard, “Understanding Your Water Bill,” will provide the following information to City and County water customers:

• Water bills are larger than the normal amount to make up for the months when no water bills were issued.
• Late fees will be waived.
• DPW’s Customer Support and Services Division is available to answer questions and/or provide needed assistance.
• Customer payment plans are available upon request.

Payment Assistance Available 

Monthly Payment Plan

Baltimore City water customers who need additional time to pay off the larger-than-normal water bills can sign up for a monthly payment plan, the Water Bill Payment Program. Monthly payment plans allow customers to make a down payment and pledge to pay off the balance over a 6- month or 12- month period.

Low-Income Grant

DPW offers the Low-Income Water Bill Assistance Program to help Baltimore City residents who have fallen behind with water bill payments.  Those enrolled in the income-based program will receive a $250 grant toward their outstanding balance, and agree to make monthly payments toward this balance. To qualify, applicants must have household incomes at or below 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), currently $37,328 for a household of up to 3 people.

BH₂O Assists and BH₂O Plus

BH₂O Assists and BH₂O Plus are our new income-based water assistance programs. BH₂O Assists drives down a “typical” bill for a family of three from about $98 per month to about $61 per month. An additional credit – called BH₂O Plus, for households at or below 50 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines – will cut the bill by another $21 per month.

Customers whose household size is from 1 to 3 persons are eligible for BH₂O Assists if their income is at or below the 3 person household amount ($37,328). Customers are eligible for BH₂O Plus if their household income is at or below 50% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

If you have questions about your bill, contact the DPW Customer Support and Service Division at 410-396-5398 or by visiting the Customer Support Page.  In-person Customer Support and Services assistance is available Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 200 Holliday St., First Floor, Room 8, Baltimore, Md. 21202.

###