FAQs
A written application is required for any water and/or sewer service to be initiated at a property address. The application and required documents can be emailed, mailed or brought into our office. The email address, mailing address and physical address are all listed at the bottom of this page.
Please make sure all required documents are provided.
Please allow for at least one (1) business day for processing of application. Starting or stopping services is scheduled during regular business hours, Monday through Friday only and requires a one (1) business day notice.
Applicants need to provide the following:
- Completed and signed application.
- If leasing the property, you will need to provide either a signed copy of the lease that states you are responsible for utilities or the Owner Authorization Form (which needs to be filled out by the owner of the property). A copy of the entire lease is not necessary. The page that lists the owners and renters, the address and the start date (usually the first page) and the signature page are both needed. All names listed on the lease are required to be on the water and sewer account.
- If you are buying or own the property, you will need to provide proof of ownership. (A closing disclosure is an acceptable document.) If you have owned the property for a year or more, we should be able to use Commissioner of Revenue records to validate your ownership of the property.
- Please note all persons listed as property owners or as tenants must complete and sign the water/sewer application.
- $10.00 Administrative fee for water service (non-refundable).
- $10.00 Administrative fee for sewer service (non-refundable).
- $75.00 Water advance service fee.
- $75.00 Sewer advance service fee.
The water and sewer service advance payments are applied towards your final bill. The $75.00 advance service fees apply to 5/8" and 3/4" meters. Larger meters will require higher advance service fees.
The administrative fees will be on your first monthly bill. The advance payments will be divided equally amongst your first five monthly bills.
Office Location:
1300 Courthouse Road, #249 Stafford, VA 22554
Hours:
Monday | 8:00am - 4:30pm |
Tuesday | 8:00am - 4:30pm |
Wednesday | 8:00am - 4:30pm |
Thursday | 9:00am - 4:30pm |
Friday | 8:00am - 4:30pm |
Fax: (540) 658-4082
E-mail: utilcustservice@staffordcountyva.gov
If you send the documents by email, you will receive a reply once the documents have been received.
- GO PAPERLESS – CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT. Register your Utilities account to enroll in electronic notifications and view billing and payment history. Visit www.invoicecloud.com/staffordcountyva
- Water and sewer bills may be paid by telephoning 1-844-817-9045 and following the prompts. Please note: Payments made will be posted to county records the following business day.
- You may make your payment by mail. (See bill for address).
- You may make your payment at the Treasurer’s Office on the second floor of the Stafford Administration Center. A computer terminal is also available in the Treasurer’s office to make payments. If county offices are closed, you may place your payment in the drop-box located on the wall at the main entrance of the building.
- You may make payments online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: staffordcountyva.gov/treasurer. Payments must be received in the Treasurer’s Office by 12:00 noon on the due date to be considered paid on time. Please allow for a few days for the delivery if paying by mail. Bills for water and sewer service are mailed each month and are due and payable when you receive them. They become past due 25 days from the billing date shown on the bill. A late payment, or no payment at all, will result in the following:
- A penalty of ten percent (10%) will be applied to your bill.
- Service may be discontinued if bills are not paid within the 60 days after the bill becomes past due.
- If service is discontinued because the bill was not paid within the time limit, the amount the account is in arrears must be paid plus an additional fee of $30.00 to have service reinstated. An additional $25 fee is charged if water is required to be turned back on after 4:30p.m.
You may have a water leak. There are several ways to check for a leak. One way is to check the indicator on your water meter. Make sure you have nothing inside using water when you do this. If the indicator is turning, then water is flowing through the meter. This could indicate a leak in the water service line between the meter and your home or building. Or it could indicate that water is being used inside the home or building.
To determine if you have a leak in your water service line, close off the main valve to your house and look at your water meter. If the indicator on the meter is turning, this is an indication that you have a leak in the pipe between your water meter and the main valve (though it could also mean that the main valve is not shutting off the water completely).
If the indicator on your water meter was turning but stopped when you shut the main valve, this indicates that something inside is using water. With the main valve open (and the indicator on the meter turning), turn off the valve to individual fixtures (toilets, sinks, etc.) one at a time. Check the indicator each time you turn off a fixture valve to see if it stops turning. If it does, the last fixture turned off is the culprit!
Toilets can often be the cause of a "mystery" water leak. Open the cover on the tank. If the water level is above the overflow tube, there is a problem. The water level should be approximately 1/2- inch or so below the top of the overflow pipe. Adjust the float level, so that the water is turned off at that level. If the valve controlled by the float is leaking, it may need to be replaced.
Toilet leaks can also be due to a leak at the flapper valve that lets water flow into the toilet bowl. To test for this, put a drop or two of food coloring into the tank (not the bowl). Wait for about 10 minutes and see if the colored water shows up in the bowl. If it does, your flapper valve may need to be replaced.
The plumbing code requires a pressure reducing valve (PRV) if your water pressure is over 80 psi. The builder should have installed a PRV, if needed, in homes. If one was not installed, you will need to have one installed at your cost.
Periodic high pressure may be caused by a backflow preventer installed at your water meter or inside your building. As the water heater heats the water, the water expands. Since the expanding water can’t flow backwards through the backflow preventer, the water pressure increases. If the water pressure returns to normal shortly after turning on a faucet, this is most likely the cause of your high water pressure. You may need to reduce the temperature somewhat on your hot water heater and/or you may need to have an expansion tank installed. For more information, call your plumber or call us at 658-8695.