Brooklyn Water and Sewage
Dear Brownstoners, I have a very naive question so please don’t post a response unless it is helpful. We just moved into our Bedstuy brownstone and we don’t know who to contact regarding the water and sewage. We have been here about a month and haven’t gotten any thing in the mail regarding how to…
Dear Brownstoners,
I have a very naive question so please don’t post a response unless it is helpful.
We just moved into our Bedstuy brownstone and we don’t know who to contact regarding the water and sewage. We have been here about a month and haven’t gotten any thing in the mail regarding how to pay for water and sewage.
Thanks for passing the contact info.
Cheers
Faye
OP here.
Thank you for everyone’s input. Extremely helpful and I will each out to the DEP to find out my account information.
Thanks again,
Faye
Just remember to get a water meter that is read from the outside of your home. DEP just drives by and points and records. No need to have the meter read inside your home.
All teh above is sound. In addition, if your mortgage has a tax escrow, water and sewer may be folded in, in which case, it is built into your monthly payments and bills are to go to your bank, although you woul dbe receiving copies. Again, quarterly from DOF. If you see nothing for a few months, go on the DOF website and look up your property.
We went two years after closing without seeing a bill. DEP never knew the house changed hands and I never knew I should be getting a bill! The bills must have been forwarded to the past owners new address. Eventually I realized something was missing and contacted them. Then I got my $500 bill.
I second pwhites experience. Why they’d send water bills for my current house 3 months after I close to my former apartment is beyond comprehension.
I simply called and told the phone rep. that I’d actually need the bills for my current house sent to…uh…..my current house?
I’d fwd all mail from your old address to be extra safe. I’m sure you’re smart enough to change the mailing address for your current bills but you can’t protect against people sending you pertinent mailings to an old address without your knowledge.
You can look up your water charges and payment history at this link:
http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/NYCSERVMain
However, it’s a bit of a Catch-22–you’ll need your water account number to access the information. Your water usage is most likely read from a remote mounted on the outside of your building that looks like an old-fashioned doorbell. Surprisingly, the readings are taken on a quarterly basis by the Con Ed meter readers, which accounts for the variation in timing of bills. You’ll find more information about water bills at: nyc.gov/html/dep/html/water_and_sewer_bills/index.shtml
Be careful. At closing, you probably signed a form telling them where to send your bills. I didn’t realize this, but for some silly reason, whoever filled out the form, listed my old address and the bills were sent there. As a result, I got hit with late charges. I would call the Department of Finance, and make sure that they have the correct address. Don’t assume that they will just send the bills to your new address…
DEP doesn’t even include your name on the bill (at least they don’t on mine) it’s just addressed to occupant. When I closed, they prorated the bill at closing and I paid it when it showed up. I don’t know if all of Brooklyn is on the same billing cycle, but I just got my bill last week, so it will be another three months before I get a new one, it might be the same for you.
Don’t worry – they won’t forget you 🙂 – the bill comes every three months and was probably covered for a while in your closing costs. Welcome to the neighborhood!!