Last checked: September 9, 2026 — City of Durham, Durham County, Duke Energy, Piedmont Electric Cooperative, and Enbridge Gas North Carolina sources reviewed.

Durham is not a one-utility city. Water, sewer, and stormwater come from the City, electricity comes from one of two different providers depending on your street, and natural gas comes from a third company entirely. Which one you call — and which phone number you dial — depends on the exact service address, not on the mailing address on your lease or deed.

Verify by address first. A Durham mailing address is not proof that you are inside city limits, inside the City's water and sewer footprint, in Duke Energy's service territory, or on a street with a gas main. Confirm how your exact address is served before you open, transfer, or pay for anything.

Everything below is drawn from the City of Durham, Durham County, Duke Energy, Piedmont Electric Cooperative, and Enbridge Gas North Carolina published pages, and every rate, fee, and notice is labeled with the date it was checked.

Short Answer — Durham Utilities at a Glance

Durham's utilities are split by service and by address. Before you open anything, confirm how your exact street address is served — a Durham mailing address is not proof that you are inside city limits or inside any provider's footprint.

  • Water, sewer, and stormwater: the City of Durham Department of Water Management (DWM). One monthly bill combines water use charges, sewer charges, the stormwater fee, optional yard waste service, and solid waste charges if you elected those services.
  • Starting water and sewer: an online start-service application, a $50 service initiation fee that appears on the first bill, and a deposit — $100 for a standard 5/8-inch residential meter — unless the account qualifies for an exemption. Allow 3 to 5 business days for processing.
  • Account questions: Durham One Call at 919-560-1200. After-hours and weekend water or sewer emergencies: 919-560-4344.
  • Electricity: Duke Energy for most addresses, with this caveat — Duke's own territory map shows an overlapping-territory zone, and some Durham County addresses are served by Piedmont Electric Cooperative instead.
  • Natural gas: Enbridge Gas North Carolina, the utility formerly known as PSNC that Dominion Energy sold in October 2024.
  • County addresses: the Durham County Utilities Division runs the Rougemont Water System and the county sewer system, and bills separately from the City.

Two facts cost readers the most wasted phone calls. First, for customers outside city limits, City water and sewer rates and service charges are doubled. Second, every provider is address-specific — electric, gas, and even water and sewer can differ from one side of a road to the other.

Verify your exact service address first. The specifics below are accurate as of September 9, 2026 and every rate, fee, and restriction should be re-checked on the official page before you act.

Quick Facts — Durham Utilities at a Glance

FactDetail
LocationDurham, Durham County, North Carolina
Water, sewer, stormwaterCity of Durham Department of Water Management (DWM)
Solid waste and yard wasteCharges ride on the City utility bill when elected; yard waste is an optional monthly service
Customer billing phone919-560-1200 (Durham One Call)
After-hours water/sewer emergencies919-560-4344
Water Management administration919-560-4381 — fax 919-560-4827
Water Management address101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC 27701
Drinking water sourcesLake Michie and Little River Reservoir
ElectricDuke Energy (Durham County Economic Development credits Duke Energy Progress) or Piedmont Electric Cooperative for some county addresses
Natural gasEnbridge Gas North Carolina (formerly PSNC; Dominion Energy was the prior owner)
Gas billing and leak line1-877-776-2427
Piedmont Electric800-222-3107, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Durham County Utilities Division5926 NC Hwy 55 East, Durham, NC 27713 — 919-560-9033 — utilities@dconc.gov
Billing cycleMonthly; due 21 days after the billing date
Address verification needed?Yes — city limits, service footprint, electric co-op territory, and gas main availability all vary by address
Last checked2026-09-09

Local Basics — Who Serves Durham and How to Check Your Address

The City of Durham Department of Water Management runs the City's water, sewer (wastewater reclamation), and related utility services, with more than 350 water professionals on staff. City drinking water comes from Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir. The official contact block is 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC 27701, with Customer Billing and Service Emergencies both at 919-560-1200, after-hours and weekend emergencies at 919-560-4344, administration at 919-560-4381, and fax at 919-560-4827.

For water and sewer, the check you need to make is whether the property sits inside the City's water and sewer service footprint. County addresses around Durham can be on City water and sewer, on a private well and septic system, on the Durham County Rougemont Water System, or on a county sewer basin served by the county's Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant. The answer is not visible from the mailing address — it has to be confirmed with the utility.

What you can check yourself

  1. Water and sewer — call the City's Department of Water Management at 919-560-1200 and ask whether City water and sewer reach the property.
  2. Electric — use Duke Energy's official address-based lookup tool, which tells you whether Duke Energy serves a specific property and lets you start service from the same flow. If the address is not Duke's, check Piedmont Electric Cooperative instead.
  3. Gas — start with Enbridge Gas North Carolina and confirm a main actually reaches your street. Gas mains do not run down every road in Durham County.
  4. County accounts — for Rougemont Water bills, county sewer service, and development-related fees, call the Durham County Utilities Division at 5926 NC Hwy 55 East, Durham, NC 27713, reachable at 919-560-9033 or utilities@dconc.gov. Durham County offices are at 200 E Main Street, Durham, NC 27701.

Piedmont Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative headquartered in Hillsborough that serves portions of six counties including Durham. It is a separate utility from Duke Energy, with its own account setup and its own outage line — if your address falls in the co-op's footprint, Duke is not your provider.

The City and the County are different offices with different phone numbers and separate bills. Calling the wrong one is the single most common wasted call in Durham.

Step-by-Step — Starting Utilities at a Durham Address

1. Confirm how the address is served before opening anything. Check City water and sewer coverage, whether the property is on a well or septic system, which electric provider serves it, and whether a gas main reaches the street. This single step prevents almost every wrong-office call in Durham.

2. Start water and sewer service through the City's online start-service application. The City's start/stop hub at durhamnc.gov/4097 is the official entry point, and 919-560-1200 can walk you through it. Owner applicants provide the deed (within 14 days unless tax records are already updated), a Social Security number or passport number, date of birth, and a driver's license or state-issued ID number. Renter and lease applicants provide a valid copy of the lease showing the address, tenant and landlord names, the rental timeframe, and a signature page signed by all parties, plus the same identity details. The lease must be official and unaltered — an incomplete or edited copy is a common rejection reason.

3. Clear any past-due balance at a previous service location first. Call Customer Billing Services at 919-560-1200, Option 2, to check. A past-due balance at an old address will block the new account.

4. Allow 3 to 5 business days for processing. Plan around that window rather than assuming same-day service.

5. Budget for the first bill. A $50 service initiation fee applies to all customers opening a water and sewer account and appears on the first bill, plus the deposit for your meter size unless the account qualifies for an exemption.

6. Register the customer portal after the first bill generates your account number. City account numbers are 12 digits — the first six identify the customer, the last six are tied to the property. The portal becomes usable only after the first bill is issued, and it supports payments, bill viewing, e-billing, and text-to-pay.

7. Start electric service. Use Duke Energy's start-service flow if the address lookup confirms Duke is your provider, or start with Piedmont Electric Cooperative if your address is in the co-op's territory.

8. Start natural gas with Enbridge Gas North Carolina after confirming a main serves the address. Gas service is not automatic just because gas exists elsewhere in the neighborhood.

9. Verify current rates, fees, deposits, and the water-shortage stage on the official pages before you pay or schedule anything. All figures in this guide are labeled with their date for exactly that reason.

Fees and Rates — What Is Published for 2026

Every dollar figure in this section comes from the City's official FY2027 schedule, effective for bills issued on or after August 1, 2026. Rates change with City Council action, so confirm the current fiscal-year schedule before budgeting.

One-time and account charges:

  • $50 service initiation fee on the first bill for all customers opening a water and sewer account.
  • Deposits by meter size: standard 5/8-inch residential $100, 1-inch $150, 1.5-inch $200, 2-inch $300, 3-inch $400, 4-inch $500, 6-inch $600, 8-inch $1,000, 10-inch $1,500, over 10-inch $2,000. Exemptions include an acceptable letter of credit from a previous utility, being a current City customer with one clean year of no cutoffs or past-due balances, or another acceptable credit reference.
  • Deposits are refunded or applied to the current bill after one clean year when you leave the service location, after outstanding charges are netted.
  • Disconnection-related charges: $250 physical disconnection on sewer-only accounts, $75 meter extraction fee, $150 meter yoke extraction fee, and $500 for crimping the water line due to unauthorized use.

Water usage rates per 100 cubic feet (ccf): Tier 1 (0–2 ccf) $2.98; Tier 2 (over 2 to 5 ccf) $4.50; Tier 3 (over 5 to 8 ccf) $4.93; Tier 4 (over 8 to 15 ccf) $6.42; Tier 5 (over 15 ccf) $9.63.

Sewer volume: a flat $6.40 per 100 cubic feet for all customers.

Monthly service charges for a 5/8-inch residential meter: $11.48 water and $12.65 sewer. Larger meters scale up — a 1-inch meter is $23.44 water and $26.01 sewer.

Sewer-only customers without water meters pay FY2027 fixed rates by household size: 1–2 persons $32.00, 3 persons $44.80, 4 or more persons $57.60.

Stormwater is charged separately based on the impervious surface area on the property, which is why it can change after a driveway, patio, or addition is built. It appears on the water bill.

Three billing rules surprise new customers. Bills are due 21 days after the billing date, and a 1 percent monthly late charge accrues on the unpaid balance after that. Partial payments are applied in a fixed order: stormwater, yard waste, other charges, sewer, then water. And after roughly 30 days, a notice carries a disconnect date, with the unpaid balance due by 5 p.m. the day before the disconnect date. Service is not restored until all charges are paid.

Durham County sewer customer rates are set separately, annually by the County Commissioners, so a county bill does not follow the City schedule. The City's rate page also includes a bill calculator if you want to estimate a specific usage level.

Paying the Water Bill — Portal, Phone, Cash, and Mail

The documented payment channels are: online through the City's customer billing and account portal, by phone at 919-560-1200, Option 1, in cash at the cashiering counter at Mist Lake, 1600 Mist Lake Drive, or at City Hall, and by mail with the payment stub.

One important caveat: the City changed utility billing vendors in late August 2026, and its own pages are not consistent. The Customer Billing Services page and the August 2026 billing-transition notice list different payment portal links and different mailed-payment addresses. Rather than rely on a copied link or address, reach the current portal from the City's official Customer Billing Services page the day you pay, and confirm the current lockbox if you pay by mail.

The timing rules are worth knowing in advance. Bills are processed monthly on the next business day after the meter is read, and unusually high readings are double-checked before bills go out. Payment is due 21 days after the billing date. A late charge of 1 percent accrues on the unpaid balance after that, and at roughly 30 days a disconnect notice goes out.

If money is tight, several formal paths exist. You can request a payment arrangement by calling 919-560-1200 before the due date. The City also provides Water Hardship Fund information. Be aware that two returned or declined payments within a 12-month window require cash or money order for the following 12 months. And if a leak drives your usage above twice your prior 12-month average, the City may adjust water and sewer charges — limited to one leak adjustment per 12-month period.

Customer Billing Services also handles plumbing and fixture adjustments, swimming pool adjustments, water-use data logging, and water use assessments — so if a bill looks wrong for a reason other than a leak, that is the office to call. Account questions and status checks can also be submitted as an online customer service request through the City's site. The City's Customer Billing Services page links a "How to Read Your Water Bill" document that explains each line item.

Note that this is a plain-language summary of the City's customer service policy. If the summary text and the City ordinance conflict, the ordinance controls.

Electric and Gas — Providers, Starting Service, and Emergencies

Electricity. Duke Energy publishes an official address-based tool to confirm whether Duke Energy serves a specific property, and customers can start service at a new location from the same flow. Duke's North Carolina service territory map divides the state between Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress and carries an overlapping-territory note stating that portions may be served by other utilities. The county-level statement you will see in economic development materials credits Duke Energy Progress for Durham County — that is a county-wide attribution, not a per-address answer. Duke Energy Progress's customer care center to apply for service is listed at 919-508-5400 and 1-800-452-2777 in Duke's service requirements material.

Piedmont Electric Cooperative is the alternative for some county addresses. It serves portions of Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Granville, Orange, and Person counties. Residential service can be requested online at pemc.coop, by phone at 800-222-3107 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or at an office by appointment at 2500 NC 86 South, Hillsborough. Outage reporting uses the same number, and the mailing address is PO Drawer 1179, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Fees and credits for new service are determined during application review under the cooperative's services rules and regulations.

Natural gas. Enbridge completed its acquisition of Public Service Company of North Carolina from Dominion Energy on October 1, 2024, and the utility does business in North Carolina as Enbridge Gas North Carolina. PSNC serves more than 600,000 customers, and Raleigh, Durham, Gastonia, and Asheville are named among the cities in its North Carolina territory. The official customer site supports pay-my-bill, start, stop, and transfer of service, and gas-leak reporting.

Gas contacts: bills and payments 1-877-776-2427, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET; gas leak emergency also 1-877-776-2427; natural gas products and sales 1-877-867-7627. The online bill-pay payee is Enbridge Gas North Carolina, P.O. Box 1349, New York, NY 10116-1349. Two migration notes matter: account numbers changed during the provider's system migration, and the former Dominion Energy mobile app is no longer available for North Carolina customers. Some City of Durham pages still label the gas provider "Dominion Energy" or "PSNC Energy" — that is an outdated name, not a second provider you need to call.

For any suspected gas leak, leave the building and call the emergency line from a safe location. Neither Duke Energy, Piedmont Electric, nor Enbridge publishes deposit amounts or connection timelines outside its own account flow, so do not budget from a number you saw online.

City Limits and County Caveat — Why Your Address Decides

This is the section that saves the most money and the most frustration.

A Durham mailing address does not mean you are in Durham city limits. Utility service follows corporate limits and provider territories. City water and sewer extensions outside the corporate limits are governed by City Code Sec. 70-129 and generally require voluntary annexation or a City Council-approved utility extension agreement. The City's Comprehensive Plan, adopted in October 2023, established an Urban Growth Boundary, beyond which public sewer and water generally must not be extended — with narrow exceptions.

Those exceptions allow connection without annexation for properties with verified unsatisfactory or unsafe wells or septic systems documented by the Durham County Health Department or NCDEQ, and for individual lots of record of 20 acres or less platted before July 1, 2012 (or recombined after) serving no more than two residential units within 500 feet of existing lines.

The money consequence is simple and stark: for customers outside city limits, rates and service charges are doubled. That applies as a general rate rule — confirm your own property's classification with the City before assuming either the inside or outside rate.

The alternatives are real too. Some county addresses rely on private wells and septic systems. The Durham County Utilities Division operates the Rougemont Water System and the county's sewer collection system and the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant. Durham County sewer rates are set annually by the County Commissioners.

Finally, remember that county and city utility bills are separate payables even at addresses inside Durham County. The County's payment hub separates County utilities and Rougemont Water, County stormwater, City water/sewer/stormwater bills, electricity, gas, parking tickets, and taxes. The City and County are different offices with different phone numbers.

If you are unsure, resolve it directly: confirm the exact service address with the City's Department of Water Management at 919-560-1200 or the County Utilities Division at 919-560-9033 before opening any account. The City's Comprehensive Plan and Code text control over any plain-language summary, and eligibility questions belong with the City or County by address.

Time-Sensitive Notices — Water Shortage and the Billing Transition

Two dated notices were current as of the September 9, 2026 check. Both can change, and neither is permanent.

1. Stage 2 Water Shortage Response (in effect since June 15, 2026). The City moved to Stage 2 after extreme drought conditions triggered both Stage 1 and Stage 2 reservoir triggers. Under Stage 2: no spray irrigation; drip irrigation and hand watering only with a hose attachment that has an automatic shutoff; car washing limited to compliant commercial facilities; large water users asked to reduce use by 30 percent; and no new landscape-exemption licenses issued during Stage 2. Restrictions remain in effect until both reservoirs return to full levels. They are enforceable under the City's Water Efficiency ordinance and may result in civil penalties and service termination. Violations can be reported through the City's online form. Some properties hold exemptions, including those operating under an approved Water Conservation Plan.

The published supply snapshot, labeled with its date: as of the June 7, 2026 update, reservoir storage was 59 percent full with an estimated 109 days of supply. Check the live Emergency Alert or the City's water-shortage page for the current stage rather than relying on this snapshot.

2. August 2026 utility billing transition. The City moved to a new utility billing system in August 2026, with in-person and pay-by-phone utility payments temporarily unavailable from August 27 through 31. The payment portal and the mailed-payment lockbox changed, and the City's pages list different values for both. Confirm the current portal and mailing address on the official page before you pay.

Resident Scenarios

You are renting an apartment inside Durham city limits. Water and sewer are the City's, but your landlord may hold the account. Confirm who is responsible before you apply, and if you are opening the account yourself, have the signed lease with all signature pages ready — an altered or incomplete lease is a common rejection reason. Account questions go to 919-560-1200.

You are buying a house in Durham County, outside city limits, on a well and septic system. Do not call the City first. Check with the Durham County Health Department and the County Utilities Division about well and septic status, and check whether the property is eligible for City water and sewer under the Sec. 70-129 exceptions. If City service is not available, budget for well and septic maintenance rather than a monthly water bill.

Your address turns out to be in Piedmont Electric's footprint. Skip Duke Energy entirely. Apply through pemc.coop or call 800-222-3107 during business hours. In an outage, report it on the same number.

Your street has no gas main. Enbridge is the state's gas utility, but gas mains do not reach every street. If the address is not on a main, plan for electric appliances rather than waiting on a gas connection.

You live in a county subdivision served by the county, not the City. Your sewer service may run to the county system and your water may come from a private well or the Rougemont Water System. Call the County Utilities Division at 919-560-9033, pay the county bill through the county's payment hub, and do not expect the City's account portal to show the balance.

You are watering a large lawn or running a water-heavy business. During Stage 2, spray irrigation is prohibited and large water users are asked to cut use by 30 percent. Check the current shortage stage before you water, and look at your bill's tier structure — the rate per 100 cubic feet more than triples between Tier 1 and Tier 5.

You are moving out. Tell the City before you move. Customers who do not notify the City may remain responsible for charges at the old address, and water can be turned off for properties vacant at least 30 days.

Your bill spikes after a leak. Call 919-560-1200 and ask about a leak adjustment. Usage above twice your prior 12-month monthly average can qualify, but only one leak adjustment is allowed per 12-month period.

Quick Answers to the Questions People Search For

  • Durham NC utilities — water, sewer, and stormwater from the City of Durham Department of Water Management; electricity from Duke Energy (or Piedmont Electric Cooperative); natural gas from Enbridge Gas North Carolina.
  • Durham water bill pay — online through the City's customer billing portal, by phone at 919-560-1200 Option 1, in cash at City Hall or Mist Lake, or by mail; confirm the current portal and lockbox after the August 2026 billing-system change.
  • Durham NC water service start — online start-service application reachable from the City's start/stop hub, plus the $50 initiation fee and a deposit ($100 for a standard 5/8-inch meter); allow 3 to 5 business days.
  • Durham Water Management customer service number — 919-560-1200 for billing and account questions, 919-560-4344 after hours and weekends for water or sewer emergencies.
  • City of Durham utilities account — account numbers are 12 digits (first six identify the customer, last six the property), and the online portal only works after the first bill is issued.
  • Durham NC utility deposit — $100 for a standard 5/8-inch residential meter, scaling to $2,000 for meters over 10 inches, unless you qualify for an exemption.
  • Durham NC electric company — Duke Energy for most addresses; Durham County Economic Development credits Duke Energy Progress, but confirm with Duke's address lookup and your own bill.
  • Piedmont Electric Durham County — a separate member-owned co-op serving parts of Durham County; apply at pemc.coop or 800-222-3107.
  • Duke Energy Durham NC — start service through Duke's own start-service flow after the address lookup confirms Duke serves the property.
  • Durham NC natural gas provider — Enbridge Gas North Carolina; bills and gas leak emergencies both at 1-877-776-2427.
  • PSNC Energy Durham — the former name of the same gas utility. PSNC was sold by Dominion Energy and has operated as Enbridge Gas North Carolina since October 2024.
  • Durham water shortage Stage 2 — Stage 2 Water Shortage Response has been in effect since June 15, 2026: no spray irrigation, drip and hand watering only with an automatic-shutoff attachment, and car washing limited to compliant commercial facilities.
  • Durham city limits utility rates — customers outside city limits pay doubled water rates and service charges, and extensions are capped by City Code Sec. 70-129 and the Urban Growth Boundary.
  • Durham County utilities Rougemont water — the County Utilities Division runs the Rougemont Water System and the county sewer system, and bills them separately from the City; call 919-560-9033.
  • Set up utilities in Durham NC — confirm how the address is served, start water and sewer with the City, then start electric with Duke Energy or Piedmont Electric, then gas with Enbridge Gas North Carolina if a main reaches the street.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Assuming a Durham mailing address means city-limits service. It does not. City limits, the Urban Growth Boundary, and the service footprint all matter.
  • Assuming one electric company serves all of Durham. Durham sits near the Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas overlap, and Piedmont Electric serves parts of the county.
  • Assuming gas is available. Gas service is address-specific.
  • Opening a new account with an unpaid balance at an old address. Clear it first by calling 919-560-1200, Option 2.
  • Trying to register the online portal before the first bill. The portal only becomes usable after the first bill generates your 12-digit account number.
  • Paying by mail using a copied address or link. The City's billing vendor changed in August 2026 and its pages disagree; confirm the current channel on the official page.
  • Budgeting from outdated rate figures. The figures here are the FY2027 schedule effective for bills issued on or after 2026-08-01, and they change with City Council action.
  • Watering by spray irrigation during Stage 2. Verify the current shortage stage before you water, and expect enforcement if restrictions are in force.
  • Calling the City about a county account. City and County are different offices with different numbers and separate bills.
  • Waiting for a disconnect notice before asking for help. A payment arrangement can be requested at 919-560-1200, but only before the due date.
  • Assuming your neighbor's provider is yours. Water, sewer, electric, and gas can all change from one side of a road to the other.
  • Treating City pages that still say "Dominion Energy" or "PSNC" as a second gas provider. That is the same utility under its former brand name.

FAQ

Who provides water and sewer service in Durham, NC?

The City of Durham Department of Water Management provides water, sewer, and stormwater service and includes solid waste and optional yard waste charges on the monthly utility bill. Call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200 for account questions, or 919-560-4344 after hours and weekends for water or sewer emergencies.

How do I start Durham water service when moving in?

Complete the City's online start-service application — reach it through the start/stop hub on the City's site. Owners need the deed, renters a signed, unaltered lease, and everyone needs a Social Security number or passport number, date of birth, and a driver's license or state ID. Processing takes 3 to 5 days, a $50 service initiation fee lands on the first bill, and a deposit applies ($100 for a standard 5/8-inch meter) unless you qualify for an exemption.

How do I pay my Durham water bill?

Online through the City's customer billing and account portal, by phone at 919-560-1200, Option 1, in cash at City Hall or the Mist Lake cashiering counter at 1600 Mist Lake Drive, or by mail with the payment stub. The City changed utility billing vendors in August 2026, so confirm the current portal link and mailing address on the official page before paying by mail.

Who is Durham's electric provider?

Duke Energy for most addresses. Durham County Economic Development credits Duke Energy Progress, but Durham sits near the Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas territory overlap, and some Durham County addresses are served by Piedmont Electric Cooperative instead. Use Duke's official address lookup and your own bill to confirm your provider.

Who provides natural gas in Durham?

Enbridge Gas North Carolina, the former PSNC utility that Dominion Energy sold to Enbridge in October 2024. Call 1-877-776-2427 for billing or gas emergencies. Some City pages still label the provider Dominion Energy or PSNC, which is an outdated name.

Do utilities differ outside Durham city limits?

Yes. City water and sewer extensions outside the city are governed by City Code Sec. 70-129 and the Urban Growth Boundary, and customers outside city limits pay doubled water rates and service charges. Some county areas use wells and septic, the Durham County Rougemont Water System, or county sewer basins served by the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant. Confirm service by exact address.

Is there a water shortage or watering restriction in Durham right now?

As of the 2026-09-09 check, the City was under a Stage 2 Water Shortage Response in effect since June 15, 2026: no spray irrigation, drip and hand watering only with an automatic shutoff attachment, and car washing limited to compliant commercial facilities. Confirm the current stage on the City's water page before watering or assuming restrictions lifted.

What is on a City of Durham utility bill?

One monthly bill combines water use charges, sewer charges, the stormwater fee, and optional yard waste service, plus solid waste charges if you elected those services. Stormwater is based on the impervious surface area on the property. Your account number is 12 digits — the first six identify the customer and the last six the property.

What number do I call for a water or sewer emergency in Durham?

Call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200 during business hours. After hours and on weekends, the City's emergency line for water and sewer problems is 919-560-4344. For a suspected natural gas leak, leave the building and call 1-877-776-2427 from a safe location.

What if I cannot pay my Durham water bill on time?

Call 919-560-1200 before the due date to request a payment arrangement, and ask about Water Hardship Fund information while you are on the line. If a leak caused the spike, ask about a leak adjustment — the City may adjust charges above twice your prior 12-month average monthly usage, limited to one adjustment per 12-month period. Note that two returned or declined payments within 12 months require cash or money order for the following 12 months.

Solid waste, recycling, yard waste, and bulky item collection rules — carts, holiday schedules, and set-out rules — belong on the Durham NC trash pickup page rather than here. For a utilities page, the only relevant point is that City solid waste charges appear on the utility bill when you elect those services, and yard waste is an optional fee-based service billed monthly.

Property records, permits, and inspections questions belong on the Durham NC building permits page. This page stays on the utility task: who serves your address, what it costs, and how to start, pay, or transfer each service.

Verify Before You Act

Providers, rates, fees, deposits, restrictions, payment portals, and mailing addresses can change. Treat this page as a starting point, not the official record.

  • Water and sewer: ask the City of Durham Department of Water Management at 919-560-1200 (after-hours emergencies 919-560-4344) whether City water and sewer reach the property.
  • Electric: check Duke Energy's address lookup, or call Piedmont Electric at 800-222-3107.
  • Gas: check availability with Enbridge Gas North Carolina at 1-877-776-2427.
  • County accounts: call the Durham County Utilities Division at 919-560-9033.
  • Budgeting and watering: check the City's current water-shortage stage and the current rate schedule before you act.
  • Paying by mail: confirm the current payment portal and mailing address on the City's official page first.

Sources

The following official and provider sources were reviewed for this guide. Figures and notices are labeled with their as-of date because they change.

  • City of Durham — Department of Water Management: https://www.durhamnc.gov/944/Water-Management
  • City of Durham — Start Water Service: https://durhamnc.gov/4093/Start-Service
  • City of Durham — Start, Stop, or Transfer Service: https://durhamnc.gov/4097/Start-Stop-Transfer
  • City of Durham — Customer Service Request: https://durhamnc.gov/3172/Customer-Service-Request
  • City of Durham — Deposit and Disconnection Fees: https://durhamnc.gov/1052/Deposit-Disconnection-Fees
  • City of Durham — Current Water and Sewer Rates (FY2027 schedule): https://durhamnc.gov/1040/Current-Water-Sewer-Rates
  • City of Durham — Summary of Customer Service Policies: https://durhamnc.gov/4429/Customer-Service-Policies
  • City of Durham — Customer Billing Services: https://durhamnc.gov/1028
  • City of Durham — Make a Payment: https://www.durhamnc.gov/146/Make-a-Payment
  • City of Durham — Durham Saves Water / water shortage stage: https://www.durhamnc.gov/1061
  • City of Durham — Stage 2 Water Shortage Response announcement: https://durhamnc.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/4174
  • City of Durham — City Code Sec. 70-129 water and sewer connections amendment: https://www.durhamnc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/59590/City-Code-Amendment-for-Water-and-Sewer-Connections-PDF
  • City of Durham — Solid Waste: https://www.durhamnc.gov/832/Solid-Waste
  • Durham County — Utilities Division: https://dconc.gov/Engineering-and-Environmental-Services/Utilities
  • Durham County — Payments hub: https://dconc.gov/PublicSite/I-Want-To/Pay
  • Durham County Economic Development — Infrastructure: https://durhameconomicdevelopment.com/infrastructure
  • Duke Energy — Is Duke Energy my provider? (address lookup and start service): https://www.duke-energy.com/home/start-stop-move/is-duke-my-provider
  • Duke Energy — North Carolina service territory map (PDF): https://www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/ssm-territory-maps/north-carolina-service-territory.pdf
  • Piedmont Electric Cooperative — Residential Builder's Guide (PDF): https://pemc.coop/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Website-Residential-Builders-Guide-Piedmont-Electric.pdf
  • Enbridge — acquisition of Public Service Company of North Carolina completion release: https://enbridge.mediaroom.com/2024-10-01-Enbridge-Completes-Acquisition-of-Public-Service-Company-of-North-Carolina,-Incorporated
  • Enbridge Gas North Carolina — official customer site: https://www.enbridgegas.com/north-carolina

Last checked: 2026-09-09.