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Water Bill Terms & Payment Info

How can I pay my bill?
Customers are required to submit timely payments to prevent service disruption. A 1.5% penalty charge will be assessed on the outstanding balance not paid by the due date. If your water service is disrupted due to non-payment, turn-on fees to reinstate service will apply.

Acceptable forms of payment include cash, check, money order and cashier check. Checks should be payable to the City of Burlingame and your billing stub should be remitted with payment so we can properly credit your account. Payments can be mailed to the City of Burlingame, P.O. Box 191, Burlingame, CA 94011-0191. The City also accepts payments in person at the Cashier located at City Hall, 501 Primrose Road, Burlingame, CA 94010. After-hours drop boxes are located near the City Hall Parking Lot exit and at the Primrose Road entrance to City Hall.

Credit card payments are accepted at the City Hall Cashier located at City Hall and also online. Please click here to get redirected to the secure Online Utility Bill Payment System portal to make a credit card payment online now.

Do you accept credit card payments by phone or online?
The City accepts credit card payments online via the Online Utility Bill Payment System. The system enables you to register for automatic payments, opt out of paper bills, view historical bills or make a one-time payment (no registration required). 

Please click here to get redirected to the secure Online Utility Bill Payment System portal to make a credit card payment or sign up for *automatic payment online now.
**Automatic payment with this system are for bills less than $5,000.  Any amount above that will not process.**
**Please contact our office when making changes to your automatic payment to insure your account is charged correctly**

We also have a mobile version of the site which is available through "accessBurlingame" which is the City's mobile app for City information and service requests.


Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

About the Program
The City of Burlingame is participating in the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) which provides a one-time payment on water bills. 

How to Qualify
The Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) is the designated administering agency for LIHWAP in California. Eligibility for LIHWAP services can vary depending on income, water system participation, place of residence, and other factors. To find out if you qualify, view the established guidelines on the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program website

How to Apply
Click here to apply online  with Central Coast Energy Services.

Central Coast Energy Services contact information:
Phone: (888) 728-3637
Website: www.energyservices.org
Monday through Friday 8:00  a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

City of Burlingame Residential Water Delinquent Account Policy
501 Primrose Rd. Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 558-7210 

The City of Burlingame can be reached by phone at (650) 558-7210 to discuss options for averting discontinuation of water service for nonpayment under the terms of this policy. 

Delinquent Accounts:
An account will be considered delinquent when it remains unpaid for 30 days after the account has been billed. 

  • If payment is not received in our office by the close of business on the due date (30 days after billing) the account will be assessed a 1.5% penalty on the current charges.  No additional penalties will be assessed on any past due amounts.  Any balance below $50 will not be assessed the past due penalty.
  • A penalty can be waived once per 12 month period or after 6 on-time payments at the request of the customer. 
  • A notice of delinquency will be mailed to the service address when the account is 30 days past due.
  • A shut off notice stating the water will be disconnected due to non-payment will be mailed once the account is 45 days past due.  If the customer’s mailing and service addresses are different, notices will be sent to both addresses.  It is the customer’s responsibility to keep all contact information current.
  • Notice to Residential Tenants/Occupants in Individually Metered Residences Who Are Not Direct Customers of the City’s Water Department

The City of Burlingame will make a reasonable, good faith effort to inform the occupants, by means of written notice, when the water service is subject to disconnection at least 10 days before water service is shut off.  The written notice will advise the tenant/occupant that they have the right to become customers of the City of Burlingame Water Department without being required to pay the amount due on the delinquent account, as long as they are willing to assume all financial responsibility for subsequent charges for water service at that address.  The tenant/occupant must provide proof of tenancy, which may be done in the form of a rental agreement or proof of rent payments.

  • Notice to Tenants/Occupants in a Multi-Unit Complex Served Through a Master Meter Who Are Not Direct Customers of the City’s Water Department

The City of Burlingame Water Department will make a reasonable, good faith effort to inform the occupants, by written notice hung or posted on the door of each residence, when the water service account is subject to disconnection at least 10 days before water service is shut off.  The written notice will advise the tenant/occupant that they have the right to become customers of the City of Burlingame Water Department without being required to pay the amount due on the delinquent account, as long as they are willing to assume financial responsibility for the subsequent charges for water service at the address(es) served by the master meter.  If one or more of the occupants are willing and able to assume responsibility for the subsequent charges for water service to the satisfaction of the City of Burlingame Water Department, or if there is a physical means, legally available to the City of Burlingame Water Department, of selectively terminating service to those occupants who have not met the requirements for service, the City of Burlingame Water Department will make service available to those occupants who have met the requirements.

If the first disconnection notice is returned through the mail as undeliverable, the City of Burlingame Water Department will make a reasonable, good faith effort to deliver a disconnection notice for non-payment directly to the service address.  If the Customer is not present during this time, the City will ensure a notice is posted conspicuously at the service address, stating the delinquency of the account and the impending shutoff. 

 Payment Arrangements:

General: If a customer is unable to pay their bill by the due date, an alternate payment arrangement can be requested. These arrangements may consist of alternative payment schedules, deferred payments, minimum payments, as well as any other options the City deems appropriate.  This arrangement will avoid further penalties and shut off.  This plan will not affect the account’s current charges or upcoming bills.  The customer cannot request further arrangements while on a current alternate payment arrangement. Request can be made via phone, email, or in person at Burlingame City Hall.

  • Past due 1-29 days: No formal arrangement necessary, so long as the account is paid in full before the 30th day
  • Past due 30+ days: Formal arrangement approved by the City and signed by the customer will be required.
  • At the time of the arrangement, the customer will be required to pay an amount of up to 20% of the past due balance
  • If the customer fails to fulfill their obligations under the new alternate payment agreement, the customer will be given a 5 day notice for shut off.  At this time, the customer will not be eligible for another formal arrangement for 12 months or 6 billing periods.
  • After the initial payment, the arrangement will call for monthly payments; the term of the alternate payment plan not exceed 2 billing cycles.

Medical and Financial Burdens:

If a customer is unable to pay the bill because of a medical and financial burden, they must submit a request for an alternate payment arrangement stating their burden.  The customer must be willing to enroll in an alternate payment arrangement at the time the request is made. The City will require the customer provide a note from a primary care provider[1] demonstrating that a water shut-off will pose a serious threat to the health and safety of a resident, and ask the customer to provide proof of one of the following:

  • That the customer, or a member of their household, is currently enrolled in CalWORKs, CalFresh,  Medi-Cal, Supplemental Security lncome/State Supplementary Payment Program, or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

or

That the customer’s household annual income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

  • During the time of repayment (up to 12 months), the customer will not be charged late fees. If the customer does not comply with the terms of the payment arrangement for 60 days, the arrangement is void and disconnection of service will begin.

Disconnection of Service:

The City of Burlingame will not disconnect service until the account has been delinquent for at least 60 days. 

  • 1st notice for disconnection will be sent by mail 15 days prior to shut-off.
  • 2nd notice for disconnection will be hung or posted conspicuously at the residence 48 hours prior to shut-off.
  • If payment is not received in the office by close of business on the date shown on the 48hr notice, the account will be disconnected by 12 noon the next business day. 

Notice to Residential Tenant/Occupants in Individually Metered Residence

15 days prior to the account being shut off, an attempt will be made to contact the tenant.  If the tenant is unavailable, notice will be posted conspicuously to the property giving the tenant the option to sign up for service at the property (and not requiring them to pay any amount due on the delinquent account).  If the tenant/occupant chooses to assume responsibility for service, they are then taking responsibility for all charges from that date forward. 

Reconnection of Service:

To have the water turned back on after service has been disconnected for non-payment, the customer is required to pay a turn on fee.  During normal operating hours, this fee will be no greater than $50.00.  After hours, this fee will be no more than $150.00.  Normal service hours are Monday-Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM.

Returned Payments:

The return payment of a check (paper or electronic) for any reason will result in a $30 returned check fee that will be added to the account for each returned payment.  Returned payments for invalid checking and saving account numbers may permanently block the customer from using the City’s online bill payment service.

The account is allowed 2 returned check payments before checks will no longer be accepted for the account (paper or electronically).  Check payments can resume once the account has been brought current and the customer has made consecutive on-time payments for 1 year (6 billing cycles).

Disputed Bills

Any customer who believes that a substantive portion of their water bill is incorrect can file an appeal with the City of Burlingame Water Department in writing detailing the charges they are disputing.  The City of Burlingame Water Department will not disconnect water service for non-payment while the appeal is pending.