FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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How often does the City bill for water service?

Residents and businesses are billed quarterly. If the first digit of your account number is 1, your bill will be due in February, May,  August, and November. If the first digit of your account number is 2, your bill will be due in March, June, September, and December. If the first digit of your account number is 3, your bill will be due in January, April, July, and October. Industrial properties are billed monthly.

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If I am a landlord, can my tenants register to receive water  bills directly to his/her name(s)?

Yes. As the landlord, you must call 248-546-2374 and give  permission for the tenant to sign for the water service. Tenants may  register for water service online by completing an online registration form.

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If I move from the property, must I request a final water bill?

Yes. If you are moving from your current property address, the  best and fastest way to request your final bill is by using ouronline  seamless form.You can also receive a final bill by calling the Water  Department at 248-546-2374 or stopping into the office, 300 E. Nine Mile  Road, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through  Thursday.

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Does the city offer a payment plan to assist accounts with  outstanding balances?

Yes. The repayment plan is meant for customers who have  had difficulty keeping their water accounts current, and who carry an  outstanding balance.To participate:Customers must make monthly payments  towards the outstanding prior balance on their water bills. Staff can  assist you in determining an appropriate monthly amount to ensure that you  will be paid in full at the end of your repayment period.Customers must  remain current with any new or future water charges. Any new charges  for water or other services must be paid by the due date as noted on the  bill.The late payment penalty of 10% will continue to be applied to the  current charges each quarter.  However, if the new charges are paid by  the due date, the 10% penalty will be restored as credit to the account at  the end of the repayment period when the account is otherwise paid in  full.Customers who bring their accounts current by December 31, 2013 are  eligible to have any $50 penalty fees assessed between October 1, 2012 and  March 31, 2013 restored as credits to their water bill account.In order to  receive the credits to their account for the 10% late payment fee and $50  penalty, the customer must contact the Water Department to confirm the final  repayment amount. Once confirmed, the customer must request credit for  the 10% and $50 be issued on their water service account.If you have any  questions or concerns regarding your participation in this repayment plan, you may email the Water Department by email or by phone at 248-546-2374.

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How do I pay my bill?

Log in to your account to view water history, pay your bill, manage your information, and more. Or, learn about our other payment options.

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What is the fee for a late payment, and when is it charged?

A 10% penalty is charged two days after the due date stated on  the billing invoice.

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What is the Readiness to Serve Charge (RTS)?

The “Readiness to Serve Charge” (RTS) is a common fee assessed  by municipal utilities to cover basic fixed costs associated with providing  on-demand water service throughout the system. RTS is specifically  allocated to cover a percentage of the costs of maintaining and operating  your water system even when no water is being used.This is a system  wide connection charge that applies even if you used no water during the  billing period. It is called Readiness To Serve because your property is connected  to the water system and Ferndale's Water Department is ready to provide clean  water and treat waste water to your property at any time. There are  certain fixed costs to providing water to the community regardless of water  consumption, for example paying for staff time, facilities, water pumps,  fleet service vehicles, water testing, etc.