Last checked: September 9, 2026 — City of Greensboro, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, and North Carolina Utilities Commission sources verified.

Greensboro does not have one utility office that handles everything. Water, wastewater, and stormwater come from the City of Greensboro Water Resources Department. Electricity comes from Duke Energy Carolinas. Natural gas comes from Piedmont Natural Gas. Those are three separate account processes, three separate bills, and three separate sets of rules — and which of them actually applies to a given property depends on where that property sits.

That is why the first instruction in this guide is also the most important one: confirm the exact service address with each provider before you open an account, pay a deposit, or schedule a technician. A Greensboro mailing address is not proof that a property is inside the city limits, and it does not identify the electric or gas provider on its own. City water service follows the City of Greensboro utility service area. Electric and gas territories are drawn on completely different maps, and gas is not available at every address.

Verify by exact address before you act. Before you open an account, pay a deposit, or schedule a visit, confirm three things about your specific property: whether the parcel is inside the City of Greensboro utility service area (which decides the water rate table and the paperwork), which company currently bills electricity at that address, and whether natural gas is even available there. Those three answers do not come from the same office, and none of them can be read off the mailing address.

Everything below reflects what the official city, provider, and state regulator pages showed on September 9, 2026. Every rate and fee figure carries that date, because published rate tables change. Use this page as a starting point and confirm the current numbers before you budget or pay.

Short Answer — Greensboro Utilities at a Glance

Here is the full provider split for the city:

  • Water, wastewater, and stormwater: City of Greensboro Water Resources Department. Start or stop service by submitting the Request for Water/Sewer Service Application for each service address. For residential tenants, the deposit and service fee total is $165. Once the application, deposit, and service charge are received, the city states that service is turned on within 24 hours. Billing and water on/off: 336-373-2344.
  • Electricity: Duke Energy Carolinas, through Duke Energy's official start/stop/move flow. Confirm your address inside that flow rather than assuming.
  • Natural gas: Piedmont Natural Gas. Its own start-service page warns that water and electricity must already be active before the gas appointment date, or the technician visit is delayed. Start-service help line: 800.752.7504.
  • One city bill: water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste collection and disposal, and household hazardous waste disposal all arrive on one City Services Billing Statement, mailed monthly or quarterly depending on the assigned cycle.
  • General city contact: the City Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489).

The one-address rule is the part people get wrong: an address outside the city limits pays a different water base rate — $16.57 per month versus $6.57 per month for a 5/8-inch meter inside the city — and may need different paperwork. Confirm city-limits status and every provider at your exact address before taking any account step.

Quick Facts — Greensboro Utilities

ServiceProviderHow to start, stop, or verify
Water, wastewater, stormwaterCity of Greensboro Water ResourcesRequest for Water/Sewer Service Application; 336-373-2344
ElectricDuke Energy Carolinas (Duke Energy)Duke Energy start/stop/move flow; confirm by exact address
Natural gasPiedmont Natural Gaspiedmontng.com start-service flow; 800.752.7504; water and power must be on first
Billing statementCity Services Billing Statement (one bill)Monthly or quarterly by assigned cycle; cycles cannot be changed
Customer portalGSO WaterWise (greensboronc.watersmart.com)Account number from the bill plus ZIP code; fee-free bank drafts
Emergency water/sewer336-373-2033, 24 hoursMain breaks, sewer stoppages, taste/odor/discolored water, hydrant flushing
Billing, on/off, applications336-373-2344Water, wastewater, stormwater questions and turning water on or off
Meters, availability, stormwater ordinance336-373-2055Buying a meter, water/sewer availability, administration
Drinking water testing336-373-7527 or Watersupplylab@greensboro-nc.govRequest testing through the water supply lab
Contact Center336-373-CITY (2489)Conservation, pollution and drainage reports, payment arrangements
Pay by phone336-373-IPAY (4729)Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover; no pre-paid cards or checking accounts
Assistance programs336-373-CITY (2489) or Guilford Cares, 336-641-3000City payment arrangements; county emergency rent and utilities assistance
CountyGuilford CountyUtility service follows city limits and provider territories, not county lines

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

City of Greensboro Water Resources runs water, wastewater, and stormwater. The department's customer-service office is the J. Edward Kitchen Operations Center, 2602 S. Elm-Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27406. The city's main address is 300 West Washington Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. Greensboro is the county seat of Guilford County.

Water Resources routes work by task, and calling the right number the first time saves a transfer:

  • 336-373-2033 — 24-hour water and sewer emergencies: main breaks, sewer stoppages, taste, odor, or discolored water, and hydrant flushing.
  • 336-373-2344 — water, wastewater, and stormwater billing questions, water turned on or off, and applying for service.
  • 336-373-2055 — buying a meter, water and sewer availability, stormwater ordinance questions, and administration.
  • 336-373-7527 or Watersupplylab@greensboro-nc.gov — to get drinking water tested.
  • 336-373-CITY (2489) — the City Contact Center, water conservation, and pollution or drainage reports.

Electricity comes from Duke Energy Carolinas. Duke's own North Carolina service-territory map lists Guilford County within Duke Energy Carolinas territory, but the same map carries the caveat that "Portions may be served by other utilities." That sentence is exactly why an address check is procedure, not paranoia. Start, stop, or move service through Duke Energy's official start/stop/move flow, which is customized by state and operating company.

Natural gas comes from Piedmont Natural Gas, one of the four regulated local distribution companies named by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. That matters because the commission also notes that North Carolina has eight municipal gas systems that the Commission does not regulate, and propane or LP gas is not regulated by the Commission either. A reader in a municipal-served pocket would call that system directly rather than Piedmont.

How to check your own address. Work through these steps before opening anything:

  1. Ask Water Resources whether water and sewer service is provided at your exact service address, and confirm whether the property is inside the city limits (336-373-2344 or 336-373-2055).
  2. Check Duke Energy's availability for that specific address through its start/stop/move flow, and cross-reference Duke's North Carolina territory map.
  3. Check Piedmont Natural Gas for gas availability at the same address, or use NCUC company information as a starting point — noting that a regulator map is not an address-level answer.
  4. If you are renting or buying, ask the landlord or seller which companies appear on the property's current bills. That is the fastest ground truth available.

Two boundaries drive most of the confusion. First, Greensboro mailing addresses are not city-limits addresses, and they do not match Guilford County lines. Second, a Greensboro address does not by itself name the electric or gas provider — those territories are separate maps, separate from city limits, and separate from each other.

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

1. Confirm the service address. Check that the property is inside the City of Greensboro utility service area and find out which rate table applies. Addresses outside the city limits pay a higher water billing-and-availability base rate and may require a Utility Annexation and Development Petition, which a Water Resources representative supplies. Call 336-373-2344 or 336-373-2055 before anything else.

2. Request new water and sewer service. Submit the Request for Water/Sewer Service Application separately for each service address, and provide two forms of identification: a government-issued ID and proof of address.

3. Pay the deposit and service fee. For residential tenants the published deposit-and-service-fee total is $165. Service is not connected until both the deposit and the service charge have been received. Landlords who submit a completed CIS form to cogcc@greensboro-nc.gov waive the $15 service fee.

4. Get turned on. After the application, deposit, and service charge are received, the city states that water service is turned on within 24 hours. Allow 1 to 2 business days for mailed applications and payments to process. Treat the 24-hour figure as the city's published statement about timing after payment, not as a guaranteed appointment window.

5. Register for GSO WaterWise. The city's customer portal works for all City water users. Sign up with only the account number at the top of the bill plus your ZIP code, then make one-time or recurring payments, enroll in paperless billing, and track water usage. Registration starts at greensboronc.watersmart.com. The portal became available in 2025, after the city's transition to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) water meters, and portal help runs through the Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489).

6. Start electric service. Use Duke Energy's official start/stop/move flow, and confirm your address inside it rather than assuming the county listing applies.

7. Start natural gas. Use Piedmont Natural Gas's start-service page, and remember its published warning that water and electricity must be active before the appointment date. Starting service at an address you used within the previous 12 months may trigger a reconnection fee.

8. Verify before you pay. Rates, deposits, service charges, and appointment requirements all change. Check the official pages for current figures before you send money or schedule a visit.

Checks payable by mail go to: City of Greensboro, Water Resources Department Customer Service, 2602 S. Elm-Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27406.

What Lands on the City Services Billing Statement

The City of Greensboro provides water and wastewater service, stormwater management, solid waste collection and disposal, and disposal of household hazardous waste. Residential and commercial properties are billed for those services on one City Services Billing Statement, generated and mailed monthly or quarterly depending on the assigned cycle. Billing cycles cannot be changed on request.

That single statement is the reason one missed payment can put several services at risk, and it is the reason to read the whole bill rather than just the water line.

What happens if the bill is not paid in full by the due date. The city states that a delinquent fee can apply and that water service can be terminated. Restoring service requires the past-due amount plus penalties. The city does not publish the delinquent fee amount online, so budget for the possibility and confirm the current figure with the Contact Center. Payments that do come in are applied in a set order: delinquent fees first, then stormwater, the household hazardous waste charge, the solid waste charge, the sewer charge, and finally the water charge.

There is no equal payment plan. The city's suggestion for quarterly-billed customers is to divide the average bill by three and pay that amount monthly as a budgeting habit — but that is a suggestion, not an enrolled program.

Stormwater is inside the same statement, and it is not a flat fee. Single-family homes are placed in one of three tiers by impervious area — roofs, driveways, and other hard surfaces:

  • Under 600 sq ft of impervious area: no charge
  • 600 to 1,999 sq ft: $1.80 per month
  • 2,000 to 2,899 sq ft: $3.24 per month
  • 2,900 sq ft or more: $4.68 per month

Multi-family and commercial properties pay $3.24 per month per Equivalent Residential Unit, where one ERU equals 2,543 sq ft of impervious area. Stormwater has been assessed on all City of Greensboro properties since July 1, 1994, based on impervious surfaces.

Stormwater fees fund storm drainage infrastructure — inlets, pipes, culverts, open stream channels, and public drainage ways — plus a large portion of street cleaning, litter patrol, and loose leaf collection. If you want to understand why the stormwater line exists, that list is the answer.

The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Fee funds the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center at 2750 Patterson St. Solid-waste collection details — schedules, carts, and bulk item rules — live on the dedicated Greensboro trash pickup page rather than here, so check that page for collection-day specifics.

Fees and Rates — What Is Published for 2026

These are the figures the city publishes, labelled as such, with the figures it does not publish called out separately.

Rates inside city limits (residential), as published on the city's rates page:

  • Water billing-and-availability fee: $6.57 per month for a 5/8-inch meter
  • Water volume, per unit (1 unit = 748 gallons): $3.56 up to 3 units; $5.13 for 4 through 10 units; $6.46 for 11 through 20 units; $8.92 for 21 units or more
  • Sewer billing-and-availability fee: $5.88 per month
  • Sewer volume: $5.70 per unit on all units
  • Sprinkler billing-and-availability fee: $10.60 per month for a 3/4-inch meter

Water and sewer volume is metered in units, and one unit equals 748 gallons (also written as one ccf, or 100 cubic feet of water). The billing-and-availability fee is not a usage charge — it covers meter reading, bill printing and mailing, and helps guarantee that water and sewer capacity stays available to the property.

Rates outside city limits (residential): water billing-and-availability fee $16.57 per month and sewer billing-and-availability fee $14.84 per month for a 5/8-inch meter, with separate outside-limits volume charges published at higher rates than the inside-limits tiers. Separate non-residential tables by meter size are published on the same city page.

Payment fees: a 2.95% transaction fee with a $1.95 minimum applies to all card payments made online and by phone, effective July 1, 2026. Secure electronic bank drafts through GSO WaterWise are fee-free. A $25 processing fee applies to returned checks, and payments mailed with insufficient postage are not accepted.

Connection side: the meter fee is based on meter size, a System Development Fee may apply to new development, and a private licensed utility contractor must install a missing lateral. The city no longer installs connections, and meters are purchased separately. Contact Water Resources Utility Services at 336-373-2055 for new-connection questions.

Three cautions for anyone budgeting from this section:

  1. The city does not state an effective date for the published water and wastewater rate table. Do not assume one — confirm the current schedule with 336-373-2344 or the Contact Center before you pay.
  2. Meter fees, System Development Fee amounts, and the commercial and non-residential rate tables live in separate city documents. This guide names them deliberately without quoting figures, because the amounts are published elsewhere and change on their own schedule.
  3. Every dollar figure above is a published figure carrying a September 9, 2026 check date. Rate tables are year-specific and must be confirmed before you budget.

Paying the Bill — The Six Official Options and What They Cost

The city lists these payment paths. Nothing else is an official channel — the city does not contract with a third-party payment center, and businesses advertising that they accept City of Greensboro water bill payments are not authorized locations. Paying through one of them does not clear your account with the city.

1. By phone — 336-373-IPAY (4729). Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are accepted. Pre-paid cards and checking accounts are not.

2. By bank draft through GSO WaterWise. Fee-free, one-time or recurring AutoPay, withdrawn directly from a bank account. If avoiding fees matters, this is the channel the city describes as fee-free.

3. In person. Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington St., or the J. Edward Kitchen Operations Center, 2602 S. Elm-Eugene St. Both locations are open 8 am to 5 pm, Mondays through Fridays, and closed on holidays.

4. Drop box at the Kitchen Operations Center. Located left of the front entrance and accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Checks or money orders only — never cash — and each payment must include a payment stub. Payments are posted by 5 p.m. on the next business day.

5. By mail. Collections Division – Utility Payments, PO Box 1170, Greensboro, NC 27402-1170. A $25 processing fee applies to returned checks.

6. Online. Through the city's secure payment server or the GSO WaterWise portal at greensboronc.watersmart.com.

Carry the card-fee notice with you: 2.95% with a $1.95 minimum on card payments made online and by phone, effective July 1, 2026, while bank drafts remain fee-free.

If money is tight. Call the City Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489) to discuss utility payment arrangements — do it early, rather than after a balance grows. Be aware that the city publishes no equal payment plan, so arrangements are case-by-case rather than an enrollment form. Guilford County also administers the federal Emergency Rental and Utilities Assistance Program, known as Guilford Cares, at 336-641-3000, Mondays through Fridays from 8 am to 5 pm. The city's billing page also points readers to local assistance agencies.

Electric and Gas — Starting Service and What to Verify

Electric service comes from Duke Energy Carolinas. Duke's official start/stop/move flow covers starting service in your name at a new address, moving service, and stopping service, and the site is customized by state and operating company. Duke's North Carolina service-territory map places Guilford County in Duke Energy Carolinas territory while stating that portions may be served by other utilities — so confirm your address inside Duke's flow rather than assuming the county listing settles it. Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress are separate regulated utilities with their own tariffs, which is one more reason the county name alone is not an answer.

Natural gas comes from Piedmont Natural Gas, one of the four regulated local distribution companies listed by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Two things to hold onto from Piedmont's own start-service page:

  • Water and electricity must already be active before the scheduled gas appointment, or the technician visit is delayed. This is why the order matters: water and electric first, gas last.
  • The scheduling calendar shows the first available appointment date. It does not promise a same-week or same-day visit.
  • A reconnection fee may apply when starting service at an address you previously used within the previous 12 months.
  • The published start-service help line is 800.752.7504, and the safety reminder is to call 811 before you dig.

Gas availability is address-specific. Do not assume every Greensboro address has natural gas service, and do not assume Piedmont is the only possible provider everywhere — North Carolina's municipal gas systems are outside NCUC regulation and would be contacted directly.

City Limits vs. Guilford County — Why Your Exact Address Decides

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

City water, sewer, and stormwater service follows the City of Greensboro utility service area, not Guilford County lines. The city publishes a separate, higher outside-city-limits residential rate table — $16.57 per month water and $14.84 per month sewer for a 5/8-inch meter, versus $6.57 and $5.88 inside the city. Connections outside the city may require additional fees plus a Utility Annexation and Development Petition, which a Water Resources representative provides. City water and sewer can also reach some areas outside the corporate limits under the city's utility-extension policy, but at those higher outside-limits rates.

Addresses outside the city limits are not automatically served. That includes unincorporated Guilford County, nearby towns that run their own systems, and neighborhoods on HOA, private-well, and septic arrangements. Multi-family, apartment, and HOA communities may also handle utilities differently — dumpster service instead of curbside carts, or a building account instead of individual water accounts — so ask the property manager rather than assuming one rule covers every unit.

Electric and gas territories are separate from city lines and separate from each other. Gas may not be available at every address.

How to resolve it:

  1. Confirm water and sewer service and city-limits status with Water Resources at 336-373-2344 or 336-373-2055.
  2. Confirm the electric provider inside Duke Energy's start flow.
  3. Confirm gas with Piedmont Natural Gas or the relevant municipal system before scheduling anything.

One program worth understanding honestly: the City of Greensboro has partnered with Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA), an independent company, on optional exterior water and sewer/septic line protection plans. This is not a City product — the city does not cover those lines, and a mailing from the program is not a city bill. Program proceeds fund a planned City customer assistance program, but the coverage decision is still yours and the contract is with an independent company.

Also worth knowing: the city's service line inventory dashboard reports that no lead service lines were identified during the City's field investigations. That is a point-in-time program finding, not a permanent guarantee about every private line on every property.

Fast Answers for Common Greensboro Utility Questions

Short answers to the searches that come up most often:

  • "Greensboro NC utilities" — think in three providers, not one: City of Greensboro Water Resources (water, wastewater, stormwater), Duke Energy Carolinas (electric), Piedmont Natural Gas (gas).
  • "Greensboro water bill pay" — pay by phone at 336-373-IPAY (4729), by fee-free bank draft through GSO WaterWise, in person at 300 W. Washington St. or 2602 S. Elm-Eugene St. (8 am to 5 pm weekdays), by 24/7 drop box (checks or money orders only, with the payment stub), by mail to PO Box 1170, or online.
  • "Greensboro water and sewer rates 2026" — inside-city residential water base is $6.57 per month for a 5/8-inch meter with tiered volume charges from $3.56 to $8.92 per unit; the sewer base is $5.88 per month with $5.70 per unit on all units. Confirm the current schedule before budgeting.
  • "Greensboro water service start stop" — submit the Request for Water/Sewer Service Application for each address; billing, on/off, and applications run through 336-373-2344.
  • "Greensboro water deposit" — residential tenants pay a $165 deposit-and-service-fee total; service is not connected until the deposit and service charge are received, and landlords with a completed CIS form waive the $15 service fee.
  • "GSO WaterWise portal" — the city's customer portal at greensboronc.watersmart.com; register with the account number from the top of the bill plus your ZIP code.
  • "Greensboro stormwater fee" — set by impervious area on the same bill: no charge under 600 sq ft, then $1.80, $3.24, or $4.68 per month for single-family homes.
  • "Greensboro utility customer service number" — 336-373-2344 for billing and on/off; 336-373-CITY (2489) for the Contact Center.
  • "Greensboro NC electric company" and "Duke Energy Carolinas Greensboro" — Duke Energy Carolinas is the listed provider for Guilford County; confirm your address inside Duke's start/stop/move flow.
  • "Piedmont Natural Gas Greensboro" — start service at piedmontng.com or by calling 800.752.7504, with water and electricity active first.
  • "Set up utilities in Greensboro NC" — water and electric first, gas last; every step starts with confirming the exact service address.

What This Looks Like in Practice — Resident Scenarios

The renter moving into an apartment inside the city. Water and sewer may already be on the building's account, so ask the landlord directly whether the unit's water is billed to the building or to you. Electricity almost always has to be in your name — start with Duke Energy's start/stop/move flow. Only arrange gas if the unit actually has gas appliances, because gas availability is address-specific. If you do need water in your own name, budget the $165 residential tenant deposit-and-service-fee total and expect connection within 24 hours after the application, deposit, and service charge are received.

The new homeowner just inside the city limits. Start water and sewer first and let the account settle before scheduling anything else, because Piedmont requires active water and electricity before the gas appointment date. If you mail the application and payment, allow 1 to 2 business days for processing on top of the city's stated 24-hour turn-on after receipt. Then register for GSO WaterWise so the first bill arrives with paperless access and usage tracking already set up.

The buyer whose address says Greensboro but is outside the city limits. Confirm service eligibility first. Outside-city-limits residential customers pay the higher $16.57 per month water base rate and $14.84 per month sewer base rate for a 5/8-inch meter, and connections outside the city may require additional fees plus a Utility Annexation and Development Petition. Do not budget from the inside-city rate table.

The household that wants to avoid the card fee. A 2.95% transaction fee with a $1.95 minimum applies to card payments online and by phone, effective July 1, 2026. Setting up a fee-free bank draft through GSO WaterWise, or paying by check in a drop-box envelope with the stub, avoids it.

The resident confused by the stormwater line. Stormwater is inside the same City Services Billing Statement, not a separate bill, and the charge depends on impervious area. A large roof and a long driveway can push a home into a higher tier. If the property is billed as multi-family or commercial, the charge is $3.24 per month per ERU where one ERU is 2,543 sq ft.

The family facing a hard month. Call the City Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489) to discuss payment arrangements early, rather than after a balance grows. Remember there is no equal payment plan, but quarterly-billed customers can divide the average bill by three as a budgeting habit. Guilford Cares at 336-641-3000 handles the county's emergency rent and utilities assistance program on weekdays.

The weekend emergency. A main break, sewer stoppage, or sudden discolored water does not wait for office hours. Use 336-373-2033, the city's 24-hour water and sewer emergency line.

Mistakes to Avoid When Setting Up Greensboro Utilities

Mistake 1 — Treating Greensboro as one utility. Water is the city, electric is Duke Energy Carolinas, gas is Piedmont Natural Gas. Three separate account processes.

Mistake 2 — Assuming a Greensboro mailing address means city limits. It does not. The base water rate and the required paperwork both change at the boundary.

Mistake 3 — Scheduling gas first. Piedmont's published guidance is that water and electricity must already be active before the gas appointment date, or the technician visit is delayed. Order: water, electric, then gas.

Mistake 4 — Submitting one water application for two addresses. The Request for Water/Sewer Service Application is submitted separately for each service address, with two forms of identification.

Mistake 5 — Expecting connection before payment clears. Service is not connected until the deposit and service charge are received, and mailed items take 1 to 2 business days to process.

Mistake 6 — Reading the 24-hour turn-on as a guaranteed appointment. It is the city's published statement about timing after the application, deposit, and service charge are received — not a scheduled window.

Mistake 7 — Paying by card without knowing the fee. A 2.95% fee with a $1.95 minimum applies to card payments online and by phone as of July 1, 2026. Bank drafts through GSO WaterWise are fee-free.

Mistake 8 — Putting cash in the drop box. The Kitchen Operations Center drop box accepts checks or money orders only, and every payment must include a payment stub.

Mistake 9 — Assuming the stormwater fee is uniform. It is charged by impervious area, with no charge under 600 sq ft and tiers above that.

Mistake 10 — Treating a line-protection mailing as a city bill. The Service Line Warranties of America program is an independent company's optional product; the City does not cover those lines.

Mistake 11 — Paying through an unapproved third-party payment center. The city does not contract with third-party payment centers, and a business claiming to accept City of Greensboro water bill payments is not an authorized location.

Mistake 12 — Assuming the water rate table has a stated effective date. The city does not publish one for the water and wastewater schedule, so an increase takes effect without a date you can point to. Confirm the current figures before budgeting.

Mistake 13 — Extending the $165 figure to a business. The $165 deposit-and-service-fee total is the published residential tenant figure. Deposits vary by customer type.

Mistake 14 — Letting a balance ride. A delinquent fee can apply and water service can be terminated; restoring service requires the past-due amount plus penalties. Because water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, and household hazardous waste all share one statement, the whole account is exposed.

Mistake 15 — Budgeting from a rate table you found once. Every figure here carries a September 9, 2026 check date. Confirm the current schedule before paying.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who provides water and sewer service in Greensboro, NC? The City of Greensboro Water Resources Department. It supplies water, wastewater, and stormwater, billed together with solid waste and household hazardous waste disposal on one City Services Billing Statement mailed monthly or quarterly. Billing and water on/off: 336-373-2344.

2. How do I start water service in Greensboro? Submit the Request for Water/Sewer Service Application for each service address with two forms of identification — a government-issued ID and proof of address. Residential tenants pay a $165 deposit-and-service-fee total, and service is turned on within 24 hours after the application, deposit, and service charge are received.

3. How much is the deposit to start Greensboro water service? For residential tenants the published deposit and service fee total is $165. Service will not be connected until the deposit and service charge have been received. Landlords who submit a completed CIS form to cogcc@greensboro-nc.gov waive the $15 service fee.

4. Who is the electric provider in Greensboro, NC? Duke Energy Carolinas. Duke's official North Carolina service-territory map lists Guilford County in Duke Energy Carolinas territory and notes that portions may be served by other utilities, so confirm your address inside Duke Energy's start/stop/move flow.

5. Who provides natural gas in Greensboro? Piedmont Natural Gas, one of the regulated local distribution companies listed by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Start service at piedmontng.com or by calling 800.752.7504, and note that water and electricity must be active before the gas appointment date.

6. What is the stormwater fee in Greensboro? It is charged by impervious area on the same City Services Billing Statement. Single-family homes pay $1.80 per month at 600–1,999 sq ft, $3.24 at 2,000–2,899 sq ft, and $4.68 at 2,900 sq ft or more, with no charge under 600 sq ft. Multi-family and commercial properties pay $3.24 per month per Equivalent Residential Unit (1 ERU = 2,543 sq ft).

7. Is there a fee to pay my Greensboro water bill by card? Yes. A 2.95% transaction fee with a $1.95 minimum applies to all card payments made online and by phone, effective July 1, 2026. Secure electronic bank drafts through GSO WaterWise are fee-free, and there is a $25 processing fee for returned checks.

8. Do Greensboro utilities serve addresses outside the city limits? Not automatically. City water, sewer, and stormwater service follows the City of Greensboro service area, and outside-city-limits residential customers pay higher water and sewer base rates ($16.57 and $14.84 per month versus $6.57 and $5.88 inside) and may need a Utility Annexation and Development Petition. Confirm service eligibility for your exact address before relying on any rate or rule.

9. What happens if I don't pay my Greensboro utility bill on time? A delinquent fee can be added and water service can be terminated; restoring service requires the past-due amount plus penalties. The exact delinquent fee amount is not published on the city's service statement page, so call 336-373-CITY (2489) to confirm your balance and discuss arrangements before the due date slips.

10. Can I pay my Greensboro water bill through a third-party payment center? No. The city does not contract with third-party payment centers, and businesses advertising that they accept City of Greensboro water bill payments are not authorized locations. The official channels are the GSO WaterWise portal, the phone line at 336-373-IPAY (4729), the two in-person offices, the 24/7 drop box, and mail to PO Box 1170.

11. Where can I get help paying a Greensboro utility bill? Start with the City Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489) to discuss utility payment arrangements — the city publishes no equal payment plan, so arrangements are handled case by case. Guilford County's Emergency Rental and Utilities Assistance Program, Guilford Cares, can be reached at 336-641-3000, Mondays through Fridays from 8 am to 5 pm, and the city's billing page also points residents to local assistance agencies.

Verify Before You Act

Four things are worth confirming before you spend money or schedule anything:

  1. Whether the service address is inside the City of Greensboro utility service area, and which rate table applies. Call Water Resources at 336-373-2344 or 336-373-2055.
  2. The current dollar figures — water and sewer base and volume rates, the stormwater tier for the property's impervious area, the $165 residential tenant start-up total, and the 2.95% card fee with its $1.95 minimum. The city does not state an effective date for the water and wastewater rate table, so confirm billing questions directly with the Contact Center.
  3. The exact electric and gas providers by address, using Duke Energy's start flow and Piedmont's start-service page or the NCUC company list. Gas availability is address-specific.
  4. The deposit, service-charge, and appointment requirements. Service is not connected until payment is received, and Piedmont requires active water and electricity before the gas appointment.

Concrete next steps: open GSO WaterWise with the account number and ZIP code, or call 336-373-2344 to start service. Use 336-373-2033 for a 24-hour water or sewer emergency. For payment questions and arrangements, call the Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489).

Verify by exact address — always. Utility providers, rates, territories, deposits, and application steps can change, and the city-limits boundary decides which rate table and which paperwork apply. Treat this page as a starting point, not the official record.

Disclaimer: TownManual provides a starting point for your research. Local utility services, rates, provider territories, and application processes change. This guide was last checked on September 9, 2026. Always confirm current details with the official city, county, state, or provider source before paying a deposit, signing a contract, or scheduling service. TownManual does not replace official sources.

Sources

The following official city, provider, and state regulator sources were used to compile this guide and were checked on September 9, 2026. Confirm the current details with the official source before acting.

SourceTypeURL
City of Greensboro — Water ResourcesOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources
City of Greensboro — Water Resources customer service for residents and businessesOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses
City of Greensboro — Paying your billOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses/paying-your-bill
City of Greensboro — Water and wastewater ratesOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses/water-and-wastewater-rates
City of Greensboro — Stormwater ratesOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses/stormwater-rates
City of Greensboro — Stormwater feesOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses/stormwater-rates/stormwater-fees
City of Greensboro — Information on the City Services StatementOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses/information-on-city-services-statement
City of Greensboro — Water and wastewater billing FAQOfficialhttps://greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/customer-service-for-residents-and-businesses/frequently-asked-questions/water-and-wastewater-billing
City of Greensboro — GSO WaterWiseOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/gso-waterwise
City of Greensboro — Water Resources department contact informationOfficialhttps://greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/department-contact-information
City of Greensboro — New connections to water or sewerOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/developers-and-contractors/new-connections-to-water-or-sewer
City of Greensboro — Request for Water/Sewer Service ApplicationOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/WaterServiceApplication
City of Greensboro — Utility payments (Collections)Officialhttps://greensboro-nc.gov/departments/financial-administrative-services/financial-services/collections/making-payments/utility-payments
City of Greensboro — Solid Waste & RecyclingOfficialhttps://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/solid-waste-and-recycling
Duke Energy — Start, stop, or move serviceProviderhttps://www.duke-energy.com/start-stop-move/landing
Duke Energy — North Carolina service territory mapProviderhttps://www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/ssm-territory-maps/north-carolina-service-territory.pdf
Piedmont Natural Gas — Start, stop, or move serviceProviderhttps://www.piedmontng.com/Business/Start-Stop-or-Move
North Carolina Utilities Commission — Natural gas (regulated local distribution companies)Statehttps://www.ncuc.gov/industries/naturalgas/naturalgas.html

Related TownManual guides: Greensboro NC trash pickup for solid-waste collection, carts, and bulk item rules, and Greensboro NC building permits for permits and inspections.