Frequently Asked Questions

Call or visit the Department of Public Works New Accounts Section, 3334 Abingdon Road, Abingdon, MD 21009, 410-638-3300.

They will tell you if your property is in an area where public water and/or sewer is available. If service is available they can provide you with a cost to connect to the county’s system. The charges for this are paid at the Water and Sewer Accounting Section, first floor of 220 S. Main Street in Bel Air.

Meters are read and billed on a quarterly basis. Water and sewer bills are due 30 days from the date of issue. A penalty is applied to payments received after the due date. Rate schedules are available by calling the Water and Sewer Accounting office at 410-638-3311.

Water and sewer bills are pro-rated the same as real estate property tax bills by the settlement officer at time of settlement. Check your settlement sheet you received at that time. You should have been given money from the seller to pay for the water and sewer usage during the period the seller owned the property.

Water and sewer bills not paid on time are subject to penalty charges, possible termination of service and possible sale of the property at property tax sale. Unpaid water and sewer charges are a lien against the property.

The charge is levied on all properties that connect to the county’s water and/or sewer system. It lasts for 25 years. The money is used to pay for modification of the water and sewer system and for any debt service that may arise as a result of these modifications.

No property tax money goes to support the water and sewer system. In accordance with the county charter, the water and sewer fund is self-supporting and is paid for by the users of the system.

The county provides several ways for you to make payment. 

Electronic payments: As part of our commitment to provide citizens with efficient, convenient services, Harford County has partnered with a third-party payment provider to offer electronic payments over the Internet or by telephone. Harford County accepts Visa®, MasterCard®, and Discover® credit cards and electronic checks. To make a payment by phone, call 1-888-288-5609.

By mail: Enclosed with each tax bill is a return envelope for mailing your payment. The address on the envelope is our mail payment processing address in Baltimore. 

In person: You may wish to make payment in person by visiting our office at 220 S. Main Street in Bel Air on the first floor. Convenient parking is available. Office hours are Monday through Friday, except county holidays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The end of the month during July, August, September and December are our busiest times. During these time periods, if you visit our office you may experience a short wait for counter service and difficulty in parking. 

After office hours: A "drop-box" for payment deposits is also located at 220 S. Main Street in Bel Air if our office hours are not convenient.