Setting up New Accounts
Call the Customer Call Center at 703-228-5000, Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-7 p.m., at least one business day prior to the day you wish to start water, sewer, and trash and recycling collection services to set up a new utilities account.
- There’s a $25 water turn-on fee for new accounts, which is reflected in the first bill. Learn more about rates and the utility billing schedule.
- Depending on when you opened your account, your first bill may not include charges for water and sewer services.
- The initial charges for trash and recycling services will be prorated daily for the first billing quarter.
- If you’re renting a house and wish to have the account in your name, have the owner’s name, phone number and mailing address ready when you call to set up the account.
- There is an application process for establishing water and sewer connections to a new structure.
Each household is provided with one black trash cart and one blue recycling cart included in their quarterly fee. Residents can request up to two additional carts for a rental fee of $2 per cart per month. We are responsible for the repair of carts, but not for any damage due to negligence or abuse of carts, and residents are responsible for the care and cleanliness of the cart. If you don’t have either a trash cart and/or a recycling cart, call 703-228-5000.
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Need help understanding your utility bill? We’ll break it down for you.
Arlington County is responsible for the maintenance of water service lines between the water main and the water meter. The property owner is responsible for the service line between the meter and the building, and all interior plumbing. This includes the responsibility for the cost of water lost to leaks. Only County staff are authorized to access water meters. Property owners are obliged to keep the water meter free of obstructions from things like cars, landscaping and other objects.
Property owners are responsible for their sanitary sewer service line from the home all the way to the sewer main, which is typically in the street.
Due to a change to the Code of Virginia, the County must now collect a completed owner authorization form for all non-owner accounts. To provide the property owner’s authorization, complete the forms linked below to provide a convenient workflow for the submission of both the tenant’s contact information and the owner’s authorization.
If owner authorization is being provided by a duly authorized agent, a copy of the agency agreement should also be submitted.
Note: Water and sewer services will not start until after a signed copy of the non-owner form is received. Once submitted, allow up to 24 business hours for form processing before calling back to commence service. County staff may contact you if additional information is needed. Once processing is complete and a service “turn-on” has been scheduled, the tenant or non-owner occupant will receive a welcome email confirming the service start date, among other information related to the account. The property owner, or duly authorized agent, will receive documentation pertaining to the non-owner account.
For more information, call 703-228-5000 or email descontactcenter@arlingtonva.us.
To close your utilities account and request a final bill, call 703-228-5000 between one to two business days prior to the day you wish to discontinue service. The water service will be turned off as early as 6 a.m. if no other account is scheduled to be opened that day, so consider this when determining what day you would like to close the account. Have your forwarding address available when you call.
Return a signed copy of the name change form by fax or postal mail to the number or address listed on the form if you’re a roommate who wishes to assume responsibility for an existing account. The property owner will be sent a letter notifying him/her of this change to the account at his/her property and may be added to the account to receive copies of any delinquent notices. Please be aware that the person requesting the name change assumes responsibility for any outstanding balance on the account.