Office Location/Mailing Address:

City of Lakewood
Division of Utility Billing
12805 Detroit Ave.
Lakewood, OH 44107

Water Bill Mailing Address:

City of Lakewood
Division of Utility Billing
PO Box 74157
Cleveland, OH 44194-4157

Contact Information:

Phone: 216.529.6820
Fax: 216.529.5944
Email: water@lakewoodoh.net

Business Hours:

Monday through Friday
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

The Lakewood Division of Utility Billing offers several convenient ways to pay your water bill:

1. In person: You can pay by cash, check, money order, credit card, or debit card in our office during normal business hours.  You may also deposit a check (no cash) into our drop box, which is located under the second window from our door.
2. By phone: You can pay with a credit or debit card by calling (216) 529-6820 and choosing Option 2.  We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express.
3. By mail: You can mail payments made by check or money order to our office directly or to our PO Box.  If your bank offers a bill payment service, we can accept payments via this method—but please be sure to include your account number (as printed on your bill) in the memo section.
4. Bank Draft: Please call (216) 529-6820 and choose Option 2 for more information.
5. Pay online:  You can make an online payment through an Automated Clearing House (ACH) electronic funds transfer.  Click here to go to a secure site to pay your bill online.

***For answers to additional payment-related inquiries, please see our FAQ below.***

If you are having difficulty paying your water bill or you have received late fees on your bill as a result of a delay in mail being delivered, please contact the Division of Water at (216) 529-6820.

Beginning January 1, 2024, the following rates for water, sewer, and a new Impervious Surface Fee will be in effect. More information on the Impervious Surface Fee is provided below.

Water: $8.93 per ccf (100 cubic feet)
Sewer: $10.21 per ccf (100 cubic feet)
Impervious Surface Fee: $3 per Equivalent Residential Unit (2,800 square feet of impervious surface)

The Homestead Exemption water rate will be $4.92 per ccf (100 cubic feet). Homestead exemption sewer rate will be $7.66 per ccf (100 cubic feet). Information on qualifications for the Homestead Exemption is provided below.

Impervious surfaces are typically paved, hard surfaces that allow little to no rain and snow to penetrate, so the water runs off and into the city’s wastewater system. These impervious surfaces can be roofs, parking lots, walkways, patios, sidewalks, and streets. During heavy storms a greater impact is put on our wastewater system. The system may reach capacity, meaning that untreated water may go to the Rocky River and Lake Erie. The city is required to make necessary improvements to our aging sewer system, and the Impervious Surface Fee helps pay for these improvements. You can find more information on the city’s progress toward a modern sewer system here. This type of fee is standard practice in Ohio.

For residential customers, the 2024 Impervious Surface Fee will be a $3/month.

Commercial, institutional, industrial, and large multifamily customers will also see an Impervious Surface Fee on their bills beginning Jan. 1, 2022. Their fee will be based on the amount of paved and hard surfaces, such as parking lots and roofs, that are on the property and will be charged at $3 per 2,800 square feet (Lakewood’s Equivalent Residential Unit – ERU) of impervious area. This fee structure reflects the fact that impervious surfaces place more of a demand on the City’s wet weather infrastructure because water that runs off these surfaces must be captured and treated

You may qualify for reduced water and sewer rates under the Homestead Exemption if you are at least 65 years of age or totally disabled, live in the home, and have a total household income of not more than $35,000 annually.

Applications for the Homestead Exemption can be downloaded by clicking here.  Please note that you must renew annually.

For residents who are already on the Homestead Exemption Program, renewal forms are due by April 30^th.  Renewal applications can be downloaded by clicking here.

For more information, or to request a paper copy of either the Homestead Exemption Application or the Homestead Exemption Renewal Application, please contact our office at 216.529.6820 and choose Option 2.

***PLEASE NOTE: This program IS NOT linked to the Cuyahoga County program of the same name.  Enrollment in the Cuyahoga County program does not ensure enrollment in our program.***

The City of Lakewood offers a Summer Sprinkling Program to qualifying resident Lakewood homeowners for the months of June, July, August, and September of each year.  During these months, a qualified participating homeowner will see their sewer cost calculated based on their average sewer usage during the previous months of January through April.  Any usage shown to be above this average from June through September will be considered a result of summer activities that do not use the sewer system (such as filling a pool or watering a lawn), and thus will not be factored into the bill.

This program is available to resident Lakewood homeowners who own a home with one, two, three, or four family units; currently live on the property, and have since January 1st; and have an account in good standing with the Division of Utility Billing.

Applications for the Summer Sprinkling Program are due by April 30th.

You may fill out the application online here or you can download the form by clicking here.  If you have signed up for this program in previous years, you will not need to reapply; instead, you will be automatically re-enrolled in the program.

For more information, or to request a paper copy of the Summer Sprinkling Program Application, please contact our office at 216.529.6820 and choose Option 2.

***PLEASE NOTE: This program DOES NOT affect or replace Lakewood’s current sewer-exempt or sprinkler meters program.***

Though there could be many reasons for a higher-than-expected water bill, here are some of the most common:

Leaks: Toilets, faucets, humidifiers, pipes and joints, and water-cooled equipment

1. Toilets are the most frequent culprits when it comes to high water bills; a moderate leak can go through approximately 12,000 gallons of water in a month. And a toilet leaks are often silent, so they can do undetected for long periods of time.  For this reason, toilets should be checked regularly to make sure they are operating properly.  Here are some tips to keep in mind when checking for toilet leaks:

• The best way to check for a toilet leak is visually (keeping a flashlight and food coloring on hand can be helpful).
• If the toilet won’t stop running unless you shake the handle, there is a leak.
• Check the toilet tank to make certain that the water line is below the edge of the overflow tube.  If water is pouring into the overflow tube, there is a leak (probably due to a fill valve issue).
• Put a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and let it set for 30 to 45 minutes.  Do not flush within this period of time.  If colored water seeps into the toilet bowl, there is a leak (likely due to a defective or worn-out flapper).

2. Faucet leaks are fairly easy to spot; if water is dripping, there is a leak. In addition to checking bathroom and kitchen sinks, be sure to check faucets in bathtubs, showers, stationary tubs, and those with hose connections.
3. Humidifiers operate in much the same way as toilets, but usually have a tube which running to a drain. Check there for running water and a potential leak.
4. Pipe and joint leaks are obvious when they are in an open area, but can go unnoticed for a long time when they occur in a hidden area—such as a crawl space, under a porch, or underground.
5. Water-cooled equipment, usually used in commercial operations, can be huge consumers of water even when operating properly. When leaks develop, that only amplifies the usage. Consideration should be given to replacing water-cooled equipment with air-cooled devices.

Seasonal: Lawn sprinkling, car washing, and swimming pools

1. Lawn sprinkling and other irrigation can add up tremendously, from five to 20 gallons per minute depending upon the weather.  Was it hot and dry during the reading period?  If so, this may be a factor in an unexpectedly high bill.
2. Washing a car might be the reason for a higher bill, but it doesn’t have to be a contributing factor.  You can cut down on water usage (and, thus, your bill) by running the hose only during rinsing.
3. Swimming pool size and frequency of water renewal may contribute to a higher bill.

Number of occupants

1. Each person in a household on average uses between three and four units of water (a unit is equal to 100 cubic feet, which in turn is equal to 748 gallons).  Again, this is an average of the amount of water generally used by a person; actual numbers may differ from person to person, dependent upon habits.
2. Water usage usually increases significantly in warmer weather because of seasonal use (considered above), but also because of more frequent laundry washing and increased showering.
3. Other considerations should include company staying over during the reading period, or when children are home from school.

Q:           How many days of service are in a reading period?

A:            Usually, there are 30 days of service in a reading period—though there may be reading periods during the year that have slightly more or slightly fewer days.

Q:           Why did you estimate my bill?

A:            Bills are estimated when there is a problem reading the meter.  Typically, a door hanger notifying the home owner or resident is left at the property first, requesting
that you call our office set up an appointment so that we may correct the problem.  If there is no response within the listed amount of time, the metering department will estimate your usage.

Q:           Why are there two charges listed for water and sewer on my bill?

A:            This happens when a water/sewer rate change occurs during a reading period (as opposed to at the very beginning of one).  When calculating your bill, the system will automatically break-down and prorate your usage based on the rate increase and when it took effect.  This proration is displayed on the bill in the form of these two charges (actually one charge, but split in two based on when the rate change took effect).  Please note: You will only see this split on the bill for the first month of the rate change.

Q:           Why didn’t I receive my bill this month? 

A:            The bills for each of the three water zones in Lakewood are mailed on the same day each month by our printer, so delays are unlikely (if not impossible).  Please contact our office at 216.529.6820 so that we may verify that we have the correct mailing address for your bills.  If the problem persists, please contact your local post office, as there may be a problem on their end.

Q:           Can I get help with paying my water bill?

A:            Various payment assistance programs are available:

• Outreach   216.226.9339
• Youth / Lakewood Dept. of Human Services   216.529.6870
• Lakewood Community Service Center   216.226.6466
• First Call for Help   216.436.2000
• Cuyahoga Co. Health & Human Service Dept. of Children & Family Services   216.431.4500
• Veterans Service Commission-Cuyahoga County   216.698.2621
• Cuyahoga County PRC Program   216.416.4440
• Website for Help Site: www.211cleveland.org

Q:           Who is responsible for paying the water/sewer bill in a lease situation?    

A:            In a lease situation, usually the landlord provides water/hot water to the tenants—and so the landlord would be considered responsible for payment of the bill.  But this arrangement might be dependent upon the terms of the lease.  If you have questions about your lease agreement, please contact the Cleveland Tenants Organization for landlords and tenants at 216.432.0609 or 216.432.0617.  You may also meet with a Cleveland Tenant Organization representative in person every Wednesday evening between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Community Service Center, located at 14234 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, OH 44107.

Q:           What should I do about my water service and bill if I sell my property or purchase new property?  

A:            If you sell your property or purchase a new property, please contact our office as soon as possible at 216.529.6820 and choose Option 2 so that we may assist you.  When you call, please have ready your title transfer date, the name of the Title or Escrow Company, and the name of the new owner.