Registered to Renting · 4 min read
Service notes
- Renters opening a DWSD account need ID and a lease that states the tenant is responsible for the water account.
- The EasyPay Plan spreads a past-due balance over 36 months with $10 down and no interest or fees.
- Households enrolled in or applying for an assistance program are protected from water shutoff.
In Detroit, water and sewer service comes from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, known as DWSD, and many leases put the account in the tenant’s name. That makes the water bill one of the first things to sort out when you move, and one of the most important to understand. Here is how it works.
Opening an account
DWSD’s fastest route is the online Application for Water & Sewer Service. You can also mail a paper application to DWSD Customer Service, 735 Randolph Street, Detroit, MI 48226. What you need depends on who you are:
| Applicant | Documents |
|---|---|
| Homeowner or landlord | Government-issued ID and a copy of the registered deed or property transfer affidavit |
| Tenant | Government-issued ID and an official lease stating that you are responsible for the water account at that address |
| Business | Articles of incorporation and an Employer Identification Number |
If your lease does not say you are responsible for water, the account stays with the owner. DWSD also has a formal Landlord-Tenant Agreement, a contract that transfers responsibility for the water and sewerage account from the landlord to the tenant. Settle which one applies before you sign the lease.
Moving out
Tenants who are leaving can request a move-out through the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal or call 313-267-8000 for a meter reading and account closure. DWSD notes that only the owner can request that the water actually be turned off.
Temporary shut-off
Doing a plumbing repair or leaving for a long trip? DWSD can temporarily turn off service at the authorized account holder’s request and restore it when asked. Call DWSD Customer Service at 313-267-8000.
What is on the bill
A Detroit bill has three parts: water, sewerage and drainage. DWSD publishes its rates each year; the current set took effect July 1, 2026.
The drainage charge
The drainage charge surprises many newcomers. It is based on the hard, impervious surfaces on your property, such as roofs and driveways, that send rain and snowmelt into the sewer system. Detroit has a combined system, so that stormwater flows through the same pipes as sewage and must be treated. DWSD says federal and state rules required it to invest more than $1 billion in combined sewer overflow control facilities, and the drainage charge pays to operate them.
- Residential properties get an automatic 25 percent Green Credit, on the assumption that downspouts run onto the lawn.
- Residential properties with less than 0.02 acres of impervious surface are not billed for drainage.
- Acreage is truncated to the hundredth: 0.047 acres of hard surface is billed as 0.04.
- You can check the measurement for any address in DWSD’s Impervious Surface Viewer.
If the bill is hard to pay
DWSD runs several programs and says that residents who are enrolled in, or have applied for, an assistance program remain protected from water shutoff.
Lifeline Plan
The Lifeline Plan is Detroit’s income-based water affordability program for households with limited income or a recent drop in income. Apply online or call (313) 267-8000.
EasyPay Plan
For customers who are not low-income but have a past-due balance, EasyPay spreads the balance over 36 months with $10 down and no interest or fees, as long as you keep up with the plan and your current monthly charges. DWSD reports 34,736 residents, businesses and nonprofits enrolled, against about 2,500 in the previous plan.
Leaks and plumbing repairs
Low-income households dealing with a plumbing leak or unusually high bills can call (313) 386-9728 about free plumbing repairs. Other help listed by DWSD includes The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) at 800-866-8429, and Wayne County hardship services for eligible veterans.
Tip: Watch your usage. DWSD says a running toilet can waste several hundred gallons in one hour and a leaky pipe can add hundreds of dollars to a bill. The self-service portal shows usage, but only if your name is on the account.
Protecting the pipes
DWSD asks every household to keep fats, oils and grease out of drains and to flush only toilet paper, never wipes, including those labeled flushable. Both cause sewer backups. For basement flooding and what to do after a backup, see Detroit Weather for Newcomers: 45 Inches of Snow, Cold Nights and Basement Backups.
Buying a home: get a closing bill
If you are buying, ask for a DWSD real estate closing bill so the seller’s balance is settled at closing and does not follow you. Before you buy, also check whether the house has a lead service line, as explained in Lead-Safe Housing in Detroit: Paint, Water Service Lines and Free Help for Families.
Renters weighing the full cost of a lease can compare water, deposit and rent together; see Security Deposits and Tenant Rights in Michigan: The Deadlines That Protect Detroit Renters.