Deposit & Disconnection Fees

All customers opening a water/sewer account will be billed a service initiation fee of $50 for the administrative and service costs of setting up the account. This charge shall appear on the first bill sent to the customer.

Deposits/Initial Connections


The city charges deposits for initial connection of water and sewer services as well as for re-connection when services are terminated for non-payment. These charges are necessary to reflect the true cost of providing services and to recover costs. Deposits apply to all residents, both renters and owners. If renting, an official undoctored lease will need to be provided in order for services to be initiated. See the chart below for deposit amounts which are based on meter size. Exemptions may apply if:
  • The resident provides an acceptable letter of credit from their  previous utility provider
  • The resident currently has service with the City of Durham and has a one year history of no cutoffs for non-payment or past due payments.
  • The resident provides other suitable credit reference acceptable to the Customer Service Operations Manager.
Meter Size (in Inches) Deposit Amount
5/8 $100
1 $150
1 1/2 $200
2 $300
3 $400
4 $500
6 $600
8 $1,000
10 $1,500
Over 10 $2,000

Refunds


Refunds of deposits will be made when the customer moves from the service location and the balance due is less than the deposit. The deposit will be applied to the outstanding charges and the remainder of the deposit will be refunded.

Alternatively, a customer may request that the deposit be applied to the current bill if there have been no disconnections/past due amounts within the prior one year period.

Disconnection/Termination for Non-Payment

These charges help to offset the city's administrative costs and costs of making site visits to service locations to enforce bill payment or restore services. The fees for water and sewer accounts are as follows:
  • if a physical disconnection is required the charge will be $250.
  • Meter Extraction Fee - $75 - charged to customers with a history of returned checks and unauthorized connection or reconnection of water service. The water meter is removed from the premises.
  • Meter Yoke Extraction Fee - $150 - when a water meter is extracted from a service location and there is an unauthorized replacement with another water meter to provide service to the residence, the meter yoke will be removed.
  • Crimping the Water Line - $500 - this amount will be charged to defray the cost of restoring service if the water line is crimped because of unauthorized water use.
An existing customer/resident must pay a deposit to reestablish service if service was discontinued for non-payment or delinquency.