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Before Starting Service with OWASA

We’re happy to serve you. Here are some helpful highlights we’d like for you to be aware of before beginning service with us. We recommend that someone be present at your residence or business when we come to start service. Otherwise, we would turn off the water and leave a notice asking you to call us.

  • $45

    We can start service between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The normal charge for starting service is $45, and this fee will appear on your first bill.

  • $80

    Connections after 5 p.m., on holidays and on weekends cost $80. Please give us at least one workday of advance notice.

If you apply for connection service during normal business hours, we will usually be able to connect your service within one business day of the application date or the date you request that service begins.

Before we turn on the water at your apartment or business, we recommend that you check with the landlord, property manager or previous owner to determine the following:

  • Whether there are any leaks in the plumbing system
  • Whether any faucets, spigots, etc. are open
  • Whether there is a water shut-off valve in the plumbing system

If we start service and the shut-off valve is closed, water will not flow to toilets, faucets, etc. If you are present when we start service, we may be able to help you find the shut-off valve (normally installed inside the building) and explain how to open it.

If you are present when we arrive to turn on the water and there is a leak somewhere in your plumbing system, we can leave the water on briefly while you look for the source of the leak. If you are not present when we turn on our meter and if water goes through the meter for more than two minutes, we will turn the water off and leave a notice asking you to call us to try again when you are home or at your business. Please arrange to meet us during our regular business hours.

If the water service is already on at your location, you may choose between two methods for starting service in your name:

New Account Method

We charge a service initiation fee and sometimes require a security deposit. We will start your account with a new meter reading on the date when service is started in your name. You may be asked to provide a lease or purchase closing documents to confirm the date when you became or will become the owner or tenant.

Homeowners

Depending on a utility credit check, we may require a security deposit of $50 or $100. Deposits are due before we start the account.

Renting Out Your Property?

The tenant will need to apply to start service in their name. They will need to provide the service address and the date they plan to begin service in their name. They can complete an application online or call OWASA Customer Service at (919) 537-4343 to complete the process.

Please complete the form below to start service.

Renters

Depending on a utility credit check, we may require a security deposit of $50 or $100. Deposits are due before we start the account.

Third-Party Billing

Nearly 10,000 multi-family units in our service area are rebilled for their water use using a practice called sub-metering. These customers receive a bill from a third-party for their water and sewer use. Third-party billing is regulated by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Read more about third-party billing.

Please complete the form below to start service.

Property Managers

For businesses opening a new account, we require a security deposit computed as two times the average bill of the previous customer at the same location in the past calendar year. If there was no previous customer, we will require a deposit amount based on the best information available, such as experience with similar types or sizes of businesses. Deposits are due before we start the account.

Responsibility Arrangement For Property Managers

We offer property managers and owners an arrangement by which responsibility for an OWASA account will be automatically transferred to the property manager or owner when a tenant moves out, unless service is disconnected for non-payment. The purpose of the arrangement is to:

  • Prevent interruption of water and wastewater service to a rental unit from the time one tenant moves out until another tenant moves in.
  • Make water and wastewater services available without requiring property managers or owners to set up a new account and pay the normal service initiation fee when a tenant leaves.

With this arrangement, the property manager or owner authorizes us to process a record change whenever a tenant gives notice to us that they are moving out and wish to close their account. Upon receiving notification from the tenant, we will:

  • Perform a final meter reading, normally on the move-out day provided by the tenant.
  • Mail a final bill for water and wastewater services through the reading date to the former tenant at their forwarding address.
  • Set up an account in the name of the property manager or owner using the final meter reading for the tenant as the beginning reading date for the new account.

The property manager or owner agrees for the water and wastewater services to be provided in accordance with the applicable rate structure plus a charge of $10 (subject to change) for the transfer of the account to the owner or manager’s name.

In the event that a tenant has been evicted or a property has been sold, the property manager or owner must notify us immediately.

The terms of the agreement do not apply when we must turn off the tenant’s water service for non-payment of their bills. If service is turned off under these circumstances, the property manager must pay the normal service connection fee of $45 (subject to change) to re-establish service.

The agreement between OWASA and a property manager or owner will stay in effect until we receive written notification from the property manager or owner to terminate it.

Download the agreement (PDF) and return to OWASA via email, fax, or in-person.

Businesses

For businesses opening a new account, we require a security deposit computed as two times the average bill of the previous customer at the same location in the past calendar year. If there was no previous customer, we will require a deposit amount based on the best information available, such as experience with similar types or sizes of businesses. Deposits are due before we start the account.

Please complete the form below to start service.

START SERVICE

Please complete the request form below to being the process of starting your OWASA service. Please note that we will need your Social Security Number or Federal Tax Identification Number (FTIN) to verify your identity.

STOP SERVICE

STOP SERVICE

To end OWASA service, fill out the online form below.

Please indicate the date when you want your service disconnected, your current address, your forwarding address (for sending you our final bill/applicable refund), phone number and account number. We will disconnect your service as soon as practicable after receiving your request. Normally, the earliest we will be able to disconnect service will be on the business day after we receive your request. Water disconnection may occur as early as 8 a.m. Please give us notice a week in advance if possible.

When we disconnect our service, we will take a final meter reading. Normally, we will apply your security deposit (if we have one) to your account balance within two weeks, and we will mail you a final bill or a refund check if your deposit was higher than your final bill.

If we receive an application from someone else for new service at your address before the disconnection date you requested, we will read the meter in order to prepare a final bill to you instead of turning off the water service.

If you move and someone else will remain on the premises, it is still necessary to contact us to have your name removed from the account at that address. If you leave your name on an account, you will continue to be legally responsible for paying the bills even if you no longer reside in or use the premises.

MOVE

MOVE

If you’re moving within or out of the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community, we ask that you follow a few simple recommendations.

Within Carrboro-Chapel Hill

If you’re moving within our community, we ask that you update your account information with your new forwarding address and, if applicable, your new email or telephone number. Also, you should request shut-off service at your old address.

Outside of Carrboro-Chapel Hill

If you’re leaving the area, we wish you well! However, please do request shut-off service at your old address to close your account.