Water and Sewer Department
The Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department provides drinking water, wastewater, billing, account management, conservation, development review, water-quality, and emergency services throughout much of Miami-Dade County. This article explains how residents and businesses can manage an account, pay a bill, request service changes, investigate unusually high usage, report emergencies, follow outdoor watering restrictions, obtain development approvals, and contact the correct department office.
Department Responsibilities
The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, commonly identified as WASD, supplies drinking water and provides wastewater services directly to more than 400,000 retail customers. It also provides services indirectly through municipal wholesale utilities.
The department’s responsibilities include water supply, transmission, treatment, distribution, conservation, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment, disposal, and water reclamation. Miami-Dade County maintains more than 8,500 miles of underground water lines and approximately 4,100 miles of sewer lines. These systems serve residents, businesses, municipalities, and visitors across the county.
WASD also plans and manages major infrastructure improvements. Its Capital Improvement Program upgrades water and sewer facilities, increases service capacity, replaces or improves aging infrastructure, and helps the county comply with regulatory requirements. Customers may encounter these projects near homes, businesses, roads, or proposed construction sites.
Retail and Municipal Service
A retail customer receives a bill directly from the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department. A customer in a municipality may receive water or sewer service through a municipal utility that purchases service from WASD. This distinction matters when requesting account assistance, starting service, reporting a billing problem, or determining which utility serves a property.
Property owners who are uncertain about available water or sewer infrastructure can use county development services to research nearby mains, existing sewer laterals, approved allocations, and possible connection distances. A property located within Miami-Dade County is not automatically a direct WASD retail account.
Account and Billing Services
Customers can use the official Water and Sewer account system to view bills, submit payments, review consumption, receive department messages, and request several account services. A miamidade.gov account may be required for functions that involve account details or formal requests.
Online Account Features
After logging in, customers may be able to complete the following tasks:
View current account details and contact information.
Review water and sewer consumption.
Access paperless billing statements.
View payment history.
Pay a current bill.
Enroll multiple active accounts under one username.
Request a payment extension.
Request a high-water-bill investigation.
Submit an underground leak adjustment request.
Request an annual pool credit.
Stop, transfer, or reconnect water service.
Customers should verify that the service address and account information displayed after login match the property involved. An account for a previous residence, rental unit, business location, or separately metered property may have different billing and consumption records.
Paperless Billing Enrollment
The department’s paperless billing service sends an email notification when a new bill is ready. Customers can then log in and view a PDF copy of the bill rather than waiting for a paper statement.
Creating a self-service account requires a name, address, telephone number, email address, username, and password. The email address must remain current because bill notifications are sent electronically.
The enrollment instructions state that a username must contain between eight and 32 alphabetic or numeric characters. It cannot contain spaces or special characters. The password must contain at least eight characters, including a lowercase letter, uppercase letter, number, and special character.
After account creation, the customer can open the Account Home dashboard and select the paperless billing option. The current PDF bill is available through the account navigation. Customers interested in automatic payments must add an eligible bank account before setting up autopay.
Payment Methods and Fees
Water and sewer bills may be paid online, by telephone, by mail, or at an eligible customer service location. The method selected can affect processing time, accepted payment types, and service fees.
A one-time bank-account payment is available without a processing charge. The customer should have the bank routing number and account number ready before beginning the transaction.
Credit card payments are processed by an independent payment processor. The account page lists a $3.95 service fee for a residential credit card transaction, subject to a $5,000 transaction cap. High-cost credit cards, which may include certain rewards cards and commercial company cards, may instead be charged 2.95 percent of the payment amount. The payment system displays the applicable fee before the customer completes the transaction.
The bill payment and processing fee appear together on the card statement. A customer who does not want to pay the displayed card fee can stop before completing the transaction and choose another accepted payment method.
Past-Due Account Timeline
Water and sewer bills are typically issued quarterly. A bill becomes past due when payment is not received within 21 days of the billing date. After the twenty-first day, the department applies a 10 percent late fee.
If payment has not been received and an extension was not requested by the due date, the department mails a final notice. If the balance remains unpaid for 14 days after the final notice, the service may become eligible for disconnection.
When disconnected service remains unpaid for another seven days, the account may be closed. Available deposits are applied to the balance, and a final bill is generated. A remaining credit balance may result in a refund.
A payment extension can be requested through the customer’s online Water and Sewer account. Requesting an extension before the account advances through the collection process can help the customer avoid relying on a last-minute payment that may not post immediately.
Two returned checks within one year restrict the customer’s accepted payment methods to cash, cashier’s check, or money order for one year. The department may also apply a deposit.
Deposit Refunds
Customers in good standing automatically receive a credit for the full deposit amount after two years of good payment history. A deposit may also be returned or applied when service is terminated, depending on the account balance.
Starting or Changing Service
Residential and business customers can request a new account, stop service, transfer service within the department’s service area, or reconnect a disconnected account. Some requests can be submitted online, while telephone and in-person options are also available.
New Water Service
A customer moving into a home or business served by WASD can submit a start-service request through the department’s self-service application. Before submitting the request, the customer should confirm that the property is served directly by the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department rather than a municipal utility.
New construction and properties converting from well water may require development-related approvals, a meter request, or a service installation request. A standard account opening request should not be confused with approval to construct a new connection where no meter box or existing service is present.
Transfers Between Properties
A customer moving from one property to another within the WASD service area can request a transfer. The existing account and the new service address must be treated as separate locations, even when the same person is responsible for both.
Customers should make sure the requested stop date for the old property and start date for the new property reflect the actual move. Leaving the previous account open can result in charges for consumption after the customer has moved.
Stopping or Reconnecting Service
Customers moving outside the service area can request that water service be stopped online, by telephone, or in person. The department generates a final bill after the account is closed.
Reconnection is a separate account service. A customer whose service was disconnected should follow the department’s reconnection process rather than submitting a new-service request for the same property.
High Bills and Adjustments
A higher-than-usual bill may result from increased household occupancy, guests, pool filling, pressure cleaning, outdoor watering, new landscaping, a concealed leak, an incorrect reading, vandalism, or an estimated meter reading. Reviewing recent property activity can help identify the reason before an investigation is requested.
Available Bill Adjustments
The department accepts online adjustment requests for certain situations, including:
A concealed underground leak or a leak behind a wall.
A swimming pool that was emptied and refilled, subject to a once-per-year pool credit.
Vandalism that caused increased usage, when the incident was reported to police and repairs to damaged water or sewer fixtures can be verified.
An overestimated or underestimated meter reading.
An incorrect meter reading.
An adjustment is not the same as a high-water-bill investigation. The investigation examines possible causes of increased consumption. An adjustment request asks the department to change eligible charges after the customer provides the information required for the applicable adjustment category.
High-Usage Investigations
The department’s investigation may include examining the meter and meter box for leaks and visually inspecting the property exterior for possible causes of increased consumption. The investigation is completed without charge when the customer has an unusually high bill or water consumption has increased by at least 50 percent compared with average quarterly consumption.
A request can be submitted through the online account or by contacting Customer Relations. Customers should identify the affected account, billing period, service address, and reason they believe the consumption is unusual.
Checking the Water Meter
The county’s leak detection instructions explain how to compare the meter with the current bill and test for continuing water use. The meter is typically located in the front yard near a street or sidewalk.
Reading Comparison
After exposing the meter face, copy the numbers displayed on the register and compare them with the “Current Reading” on the utility bill. The physical meter reading should be equal to or higher than the bill’s current reading because consumption may have continued after the billing reading was recorded.
A physical meter reading lower than the reading shown on the bill may indicate that the meter was misread. A substantially higher physical reading may indicate continued water use or a leak.
Two-Hour Leak Test
Write down the meter reading, avoid using water for two hours, and then read the meter again. A higher second reading may indicate a leak.
To help determine whether the leak is inside or outside the home, close the house valve and repeat the test. Continued meter movement may indicate a leak in the private service line between the meter and the home or in an outdoor water-using device. If the meter stops moving, the leak may be inside the home.
Common Fixture Leaks
Toilets are a frequent source of hidden water loss. A customer can place several drops of dark food coloring or a leak-detection dye tablet in a full toilet tank and wait 20 minutes without flushing. Colored water appearing in the bowl indicates a leak.
Dripping faucets and showerheads may result from worn washers, O-rings, or other components. Small leaks can continue for long periods without being reflected in an obvious puddle or visible pipe failure.
Repair Responsibility
The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department maintains the water service up to and including the meter box. This includes meter performance and meter repairs.
The account holder is responsible for water consumption after the meter box, including consumption caused by concealed or underground leaks on private property. The county does not repair private plumbing, advise a customer about a specific private repair, or provide contractor recommendations or referrals.
Customer Service and Office Visits
The official Water and Sewer contact page separates account assistance, emergencies, water-quality concerns, development questions, public records, and other specialized matters. Selecting the correct contact category can reduce delays and prevent a billing question from being routed to an emergency or construction unit.
Account Inquiries
The Customer Care Center handles questions about Water and Sewer accounts. Customers submitting the department’s online inquiry form should provide detailed information so the message can be routed to the correct unit.
The inquiry form requests a first and last name, email address, telephone number, address, city, state, ZIP Code, and detailed message. The Water and Sewer account number is optional, but including it can help identify the correct account when the inquiry concerns billing or service.
In-Person Transactions
Full-service customer centers accept cash, major credit cards, debit cards, checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders. Cashier-only locations accept cash, checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders but do not accept debit or credit cards.
Department payment kiosks accept major credit and debit cards. Payments submitted before 2 p.m. are processed the same day. Payments submitted after 2 p.m. are processed on the next business day.
Walk-in service is no longer available at the department’s Overtown office. Customers may complete transactions there only by scheduling an appointment in advance. Other customer service locations have their own hours, accepted payment types, and service limitations.
Water and Sewer Emergencies
The department operates a 24-hour emergency call center. Appropriate reports include:
Broken or leaking water or sewer pipes.
Broken or leaking hydrants, manholes, or water meters.
Pump station alarms, ringing alerts, or flashing red lights.
Uncovered manholes.
Low water pressure or a complete loss of service.
Sewer backups or overflowing manholes.
An emergency report should clearly identify the location, the visible condition, nearby intersections when useful, and any immediate hazard. A billing dispute, payment extension, paperless billing problem, or routine service transfer belongs with Customer Care rather than the emergency center.
Water Conservation Rules
The county Water Conservation Program provides indoor and outdoor conservation guidance, fixture rebates, irrigation evaluations, rain-barrel programs, and water-saving information for homes and businesses.
Outdoor Watering Schedule
The county’s year-round outdoor watering restrictions apply to public utility water, private wells, canals, lakes, and other surface-water sources. Lawn watering is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Residential and business lawns may generally be watered two days per week:
Odd-numbered addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 may irrigate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Even-numbered addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 may irrigate on Thursdays and Sundays.
Watering must take place before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
Property owners should choose a morning or evening watering window rather than watering twice in one day.
Exceptions and New Landscaping
The restrictions do not apply to car or boat washing, pressure cleaning of paved surfaces, decorative fountains, or water-based recreation. Properties using 100 percent reclaimed water are exempt, although conservation is encouraged. Low-volume irrigation that applies water directly to root zones is not restricted but should still be reduced when possible.
New landscaping may be watered during the permitted hours every day except Friday for the first 90 days after installation. The property owner should retain the purchase receipt showing the installation or purchase date. A person unable to water during the permitted hours may contact 311 about applying for a variance.
Irrigation Evaluations and Rebates
Free landscape irrigation evaluations are available for eligible single-family homes and large properties with a functioning in-ground irrigation system. The system must include a working pump, irrigation lines, and spray heads.
Single-family homeowners may qualify for rebates of up to $500 per year for as many as five years. Large-property owners may qualify for a maximum rebate of $2,850 per property. A smart irrigation controller may also be provided without charge.
To qualify for a rebate, proof of payment must be submitted within six months after the evaluation or by August 31, whichever occurs first. Receipts and invoices must be itemized, show labor and individual parts, and confirm payment in full. A post-retrofit evaluation must also be scheduled.
Development and Property Services
All new construction, changes in use, and most residential and commercial renovations must be evaluated and approved through Water and Sewer Development Services. These reviews determine how a project will receive water and wastewater service and whether existing infrastructure can support the proposed work.
Plan and Connection Reviews
Development services include plan review, points-of-connection review, water and sewer service agreements, new-main conveyance, meter requests, as-built submissions, backflow prevention requirements, and construction coordination.
Construction and development invoices can be paid online by credit or debit card only. The invoice must be processed before payment is submitted.
Different project conditions require different requests:
A Letter of Availability indicates whether water or sewer mains are available to serve a project.
A Water or Sewer Service Agreement may be required for a sewer lateral, main extension, fireline, or private pump station.
A set-meter request may apply when a meter box already exists.
A Service Installation Request is required when no water service or meter box exists or a new meter box is needed.
A first-time sewer connection request applies when an existing sewer lateral is available.
A floating meter request applies when temporary water is needed for a construction project or qualifying mobile business.
A utility relocation request may cover services, hydrants, cut-and-plug work, retirement, or other relocation needs decided case by case.
A Utilities Information Request can provide infrastructure records such as as-built information, atlas records, sewer-lateral locations, utility easement information, and preliminary water and sewer information. A pre-construction meeting request must be submitted at least two business days before the requested meeting date and time.
Property Account Certificates
A Premise Location Certificate provides information about current water and sewer accounts, outstanding balances, liens, bankruptcy, write-offs, tampering costs, and other financial responsibilities associated with a property account.
The certificate costs $20 for a written response within 24 hours or $10 for a written response within seven to 10 days. Payment must be made in advance. Frequent requesters may establish a Premise Location Certificate account from which request payments can be deducted.
A certificate may indicate that a property is not served by WASD, but the certificate process does not provide separate written service verification. Customers seeking service-address validation must contact the New Business Office.
Water Quality and Treatment
Most drinking water used in South Florida comes from the Biscayne Aquifer, a shallow groundwater source located below the surface. Because the aquifer is close to ground level, county, state, and federal safeguards are used to reduce contamination risks.
Approximately 330 million gallons per day are withdrawn through wells that extend an average of 80 feet below the ground. Water treatment processes may include filtration, flocculation, sedimentation, softening, disinfection, ion exchange, and adsorption, depending on the source water and treatment facility.
Testing and Service Areas
Department microbiologists, chemists, and water-treatment specialists conduct or supervise more than 150,000 water-sample analyses each year. Samples are collected from untreated and treated water at facilities, distribution-system locations, and customer properties.
The Hialeah and Preston plants serve areas north of Southwest Eighth Street to the Miami-Dade and Broward county line. The Alexander Orr plant serves areas south of Southwest Eighth Street to Southwest 248th Street. Five smaller plants in the South Dade Water Supply System serve unincorporated areas south of Southwest 248th Street through a distribution system separate from the main regional system.
Annual Quality Reports
The department publishes annual drinking water quality reports describing the water supply, treatment process, testing results, and regulatory compliance. Customers can review the current report online or request a hard copy through the county.
Miami-Dade County stopped adding fluoride during water treatment on May 29, 2025, following a county resolution. Trace amounts may remain because fluoride occurs naturally in the groundwater source.
Records and Privacy
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer account information is considered a public record. Florida law provides an exemption for specified individuals whose qualifying public information may be protected from disclosure. A person who qualifies must submit the applicable exemption form to the department.
Email addresses submitted to Miami-Dade County are also public records under Florida law. A customer who does not want an email address released in response to a public records request should contact the department by telephone or in writing rather than by email.
Public records requests may be submitted to the department’s Public Records Custodians. The county also operates an online public-records management tool that allows requesters to create an account, submit a request, and track its status.
Relevant Departments and Offices
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department
3071 SW 38th Ave., Miami, FL 33146
305-665-7477
Water and Sewer Emergency Call Center
3071 SW 38th Ave., Miami, FL 33146
305-274-9272
Utilities Development and Services Division, LeJeune Office
3575 S. LeJeune Road, Miami
786-268-5360
Utilities Development and Services Division, West Office (MDPIC)
11805 SW 26th St., West Miami-Dade
786-315-2717
Public Records Custodians, Water and Sewer Department
3071 SW 38th Avenue, Miami, FL 33146
786-552-8433 or 786-552-8199
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department Lien Unit
3071 SW 38th Ave., 4th Floor, Miami, FL 33146-1520
786-552-8349
Water and Sewer Department FAQs
How can I check whether a property uses sewer or septic?
Use the county’s iWASD GIS Service Maps to research whether a property appears connected to a water or sewer system or may rely on a septic tank. The mapping hub also shows approved water and sewer allocations, nearby connection information, and current or upcoming utility construction. Map results are useful for preliminary research, but a development project may still require formal infrastructure verification and departmental review.
What happens if an existing water meter was removed?
A property that previously had water service but no longer has a meter should not be handled as an ordinary account activation. The owner, contractor, or authorized applicant may need to request that a meter be installed on the existing service connection. Before applying, confirm that the old service remains usable and that the project does not require a new meter box, service installation, relocation, or construction agreement.
When is a Water Supply Certification required?
A Water Supply Certification letter may be required for new construction, additions, renovations, or changes in use that increase water consumption. This requirement is separate from opening a customer account. Applicants should complete the appropriate development review before assuming that existing water capacity is available for a larger residence, expanded commercial space, additional fixtures, or a different property use. Relevant applications are listed through the county’s Water and Sewer services directory.
What should residents avoid flushing?
County sewer lines are intended to carry human waste and toilet paper. Wipes, including products labeled flushable, can remain intact and contribute to blockages. Residents should also keep paper towels, hygiene products, diapers, grease, medications, plastics, and household chemicals out of toilets and drains. Improper disposal can clog private plumbing, damage pumping equipment, and contribute to sewer backups.