There was a ransomware attack on Baltimore City’s computer network on May 6, 2019, that impacted a number of computer systems, including the water system. Once the billing system was re-established, the system had to undergo several tests and evaluations in order to ensure bill accuracy.

DPW will start mailing the water bills on Wednesday, August 7th.  DPW will send out 10,000 bills per day and bills will go to both Baltimore City and County residents.  This first billing cycle will take a month to complete, so some people will receive bills as early as August 8th while others won’t receive their bills until as late as September 5th.

The metering system was NEVER impacted by the attack. DPW has thoroughly checked the system and is confident the reads are accurate.

No. DPW does not collect personal data in the water billing system.

No. The systems that run our water filtration and sewage purification systems were not impacted by the outage.

Payments made during the outage should be reflected on your first bill. If not, retain your receipts or bank statements and notify the Customer Support and Services Division at 410-396-5398 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. or by visiting the Customer Support Page.

Customers may request a payment plan by contacting the Customer Support and Services Division at 410-396-5398 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. or by visiting the Customer Support Page.  This request will allow the bill to be paid over time

Late fees will NOT be charged for this first bill.  Late fees will be reinstated in November 2019.  Please note if you don’t pay the full water bill amount, and have not established a payment plan with DPW, the understanding is that you are prepared to pay the balance of your longer bill PLUS the full amount of your next bill.

The account management fee covers costs associated with all customer support services.

DPW continues to accept payments in all the methods used prior to the ransomware attack. This includes:
Walk-ins: 200 Holliday Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Mail: 200 Holliday Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Online: Please visit the Baltimore City Online Payment and Account Look-up page by clicking here.
Telephone: 410-396-5398
Please Note: Checks and /or money orders should be made payable to the Director of Finance – Baltimore City.  Include the account number on the check and/or money order if known.  If the account number is not known, be certain to include the address of the water service.

Eligible customers may be able to benefit from DPW’s Baltimore H2O Assists program, which offers discounts and fee waivers. The BH2O Plus program adds an annual grant, spread out over 12 months, that adds additional affordability for customers living at or below 50 percent of the poverty line. Eligible customers may also be able to take advantage of the Low-Income Grant program to help them with their bills. Contact the Customer Support and Services Division at 410-396-5398 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. or by visiting the Customer Support Page.

No, but it is highly recommended to obtain a BH2O application sooner rather than later. 

Not yet.  However, once you receive a bill, you will be able to see historical meter reads.

DPW is taking a read after July 1 and prorating the consumption to reflect the percentage of consumption before and after the rate change