Water & Sewer Department

The City of Graham provides a number of utilities to its citizens including water treatment, wastewater treatment, sewer distribution, and stormwater management. The City of Graham maintains over 104 miles of water mains and 93 miles of sanitary sewer. In addition, the City of Graham oversees the pretreatment of industrial wastewater prior to discharge into the City Collection System.

The City of Graham’s Water Utility is responsible for water and wastewater operations.  From flood prevention and resources preservation to ensuring the safe and dependable delivery of the highest quality of drinking water, the City is committed to meeting the ever-changing needs of our community. The City has an ongoing commitment to protect the environment and deliver vital services in a cost-efficient and environmentally sound manner.  Reach out to the Department with any questions related to the City’s water resources.

Have more questions about Water, Sewer, or Stormwater? Give us a call at 336-578-3264

Sewer Blockage Or Backup In Your Home or Business

In the event of a sewer blockage or backup in a customer’s home or business, the customer should first call the Water and Sewer Department at 336 693-8205. If a customer calls a plumber first, and the blockage or backup is the city’s responsibility, the city will not reimburse the customer for the cost of the plumber.

FAQ's

To establish an account, a customer must either call the City of Graham Water and Sewer Billing Department at (336) 570-6700 for information or complete a water service application at City Hall. Tenant and Commercial accounts are required to pay a deposit before service can be established.

Customers seeking a new connection or tap should contact the City of Graham Planning Department at (336) 570-6705 to verify the availability of the desired service and any applicable fees.

Effective May 2008, all utility customers will receive their bills on a monthly basis.

Bills are due by the 18th of the month. Accounts that are not paid by the 18th will receive a late fee equal to 2% of the outstanding balance (minimum charge: $5.00) and a delinquent notice will be issued.

After the 28th of each month, any unpaid account is subject to disconnection on the next business day for delinquent balances of more than $5.00. If the 28th falls on the weekend or holiday, disconnections will be scheduled for the next business day.

An additional nonpayment fee of $40.00 is automatically added to the account. This fee is charged when the customer’s account is scheduled for disconnection, regardless of whether or not the service is actually disconnected.

The City of Graham will accept payment in the form of cash, single-party check, credit/debit card, or money order.

Payments may be made in person at the City Hall during normal business hours, online, by phone (1-888-626-8426), by bank draft or by mail. A payment drop box is located just inside the main entrance to City Hall, 201 South Main Street. Payments placed in the drop box after 5 p.m. will be considered next-day payments.

The City will accept online credit card and debit card payments through the City’s Online Bill Payment service. Additionally, customers may manage their account and update contact information. You can access Online Bill Pay by clicking here. Users will be required to create a log in account before payment may be made.

The payment will be posted the following business day.

You may contact Customer Service at (336) 570-6700 or refer to the Getting Started Guide for assistance.

Yes, the City does offer bank draft for Water and Sewer accounts. A signed bank draft application and a voided check are needed to initiate bank drafts.

Many customers will see charges on their bill for solid waste collection, recycling, and stormwater.

Both Water and Sewer charges are calculated based on a customer’s metered water consumption. You can determine your consumption in gallons by subtracting the prior reading on your bill from the current reading.

All active accounts, regardless of consumption, receive a minimum charge that covers the first 1,000 gallons of consumption.

Most meters in the City are now read “off site”. “Off site” means that the meter reader is not required to physically visit the meter to take a reading; rather, the reading is gathered electronically by a handheld computer. In most cases the meter reader will simply drive down the street or a nearby street to gather the readings.

All meters that are read electronically have an Electronic Reading Transmitter (ERT). Most ERTs are positioned under the meter lid with the exception of those mounted to the top of lids to improve reception.

Damaging or disconnecting an ERT will not prevent the City from collecting a reading. If an ERT is damaged or disconnected, the customer may be responsible for the damages or assessed a tampering penalty.

Most meters throughout the City and all new meters that are installed have leak indicators on them that help determine if a leak is ongoing. However, even though meter leak indicators may be able to determine if a leak is present, they are unable to pinpoint the location of a leak. A customer should contact a licensed plumber in the event a leak is suspected.