Frequently asked questions

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) has joined with other water and wastewater utilities from across the country who utilize the Promise online platform to help customers manage their past due accounts. Now, some DWSD customers with a past due balance will be eligible to enroll in the new EasyPay powered by Promise Plan.

• FLEXIBILITY: Ability for the customer to pick their payment due date, separate from their DWSD current monthly bill.
• PAYMENT REMINDERS AND ROBUST COMMUNICATION: Provide reminders for both the EasyPay bill and the current DWSD bill via phone, email and text message.
• DIRECT LINK: A link to the payment portal is included in their text and email messages to customers to pay or manage their account.
• EXPANDED PAYMENT OPTIONS: Additional payment options including Venmo, ApplePay and Cash App; and
• FAST AND FRIENDLY: Reduced call wait time in terms of customer accounts.

EasyPay powered by Promise is an online service that allows you to pay off your past due water and sewer account balance.

DWSD has partnered with Promise to begin transitioning the EasyPay Plan to its platform, with customers who were enrolled into the DWSD EasyPay Plan but missed payments and are now eligible for EasyPay powered by Promise in this first phase.

To check your eligibility, please visit: https://dwsd.promise-pay.com/

DWSD has offered payment plans for decades and based on customer feedback has made improvements, including launching EasyPay in July 2024. DWSD’s goal is to ensure our customers can manage their water bills, while maintaining their essential water service. DWSD offers EasyPay to help customers - residential and nonresidential - to get current on their account, protect from service interruption and avoid late fees by reducing the barriers to enrollment and spreading their past due balance into monthly payments over 36 months.

DWSD EasyPay powered by Promise payment plans are interest-free, and no late fees are charged while you remain current on your payments.

There are transactional fees due to bank charges assessed to Promise. For current DWSD accounts, the transaction fees are covered by DWSD, and you are not charged, including for the original Easy Pay Plan. However, Promise has a transaction fee structure, which follows:

• $3.00 for card transactions up to $150
• 3% for card transactions greater than $150
• $1.50 for ACH transactions, no transaction limitation

Eligible customers may enroll in minutes by following these steps:

1. Visit dwsd.promise-pay.com
2. Review and select a payment plan that works for you. We offer a wide range of flexible options.
3. Make your first payment using a debit/credit card or bank account transfer (ACH).

After enrolling, you’ll automatically pay off your balance through convenient monthly payments—plus, we’ll send reminders to help you stay on track.

Customers without access to a credit/debit card or bank account may enroll with a prepaid debit card. Follow the instructions on terms of use for the prepaid debit card.

As long as you meet the eligibility in this first phase with Promise as described above.

Your payment plan covers your past-due balance with DWSD as of the day you enroll. You must pay all future monthly water, sewer and drainage bills with DWSD directly throughout the life of your EasyPay powered by Promise plan.

Once enrolled, you will have two separate bills. Your agreed upon EasyPay powered by Promise plan payments must be paid to Promise. Future monthly bill charges will be paid to DWSD. Your monthly DWSD current bill charges for water, sewerage and drainage must also be paid directly to DWSD using the Customer Self-Service Portal at https://csportal.detroitmi.gov, by phone at (313) 267-8000, at a DivDat Kiosk or by mail. Therefore, until you meet your full obligations of your payment arrangement, you will have two accounts (bills) to pay each month.

Extensions and changes can be made to your EasyPay powered by Promise plan as long as you are making your monthly payments.

If you stay current on both your agreed-upon EasyPay powered by Promise plan payments and pay all new monthly water, sewer and drainage charges directly to DWSD before the bill due date, you are protected from water service interruption for nonpayment.

No. EasyPay is a payment arrangement, while grant-funded programs are water affordability and handled separately for residential households that are eligible. Check the DWSD website for updates on customer assistance programs at https://detroitmi.gov/DWSD.

Call Promise at +1 (313) 435-2055. Agents are available 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday.

Please call DWSD directly at (313) 267-8000 or use the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal at https://csportal.detroitmi.gov.

Please call DWSD directly at (313) 267-8000 or make the request through the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal at https://csportal.detroitmi.gov.

Yes, for those who have a past due balance and are not enrolled in a plan. Please call DWSD directly at (313) 267-8000 with any related questions. Customers can avoid water shut-off by enrolling in the EasyPay powered by Promise Plan online at https://dwsd.promise-pay.com or by contacting a Promise agent at +1 (313) 435-2055 to enroll. Once enrolled in EasyPay powered by Promise, customers must keep up to date on their plan and current DWSD bill to ensure their services are not interrupted.

If you are not yet eligible for EasyPay powered by Promise, you may enroll through the current DWSD EasyPay Plan directly through DWSD Customer Service at (313) 267-8000.

DWSD contacts customers at-risk for a water service interruption for nonpayment with notices on your bill as well as 10-day door hanger notice. Enrolling in an EasyPay powered PromisePay Plan and continuing to pay your current DWSD water bill protects you from water shut off.

The water service restoration process depends on whether or not you are enrolled in a payment arrangement or have the ability to pay your past due balance. Please follow the steps below based on your situation:

• If you are not enrolled in an EasyPay powered by Promise plan:

You can become eligible for reconnection by enrolling in a standard payment plan with a minimum $10 payment. Once you’ve enrolled through the portal, please contact DWSD directly at (313) 267-8000 to schedule the appointment to have your water service restored. DWSD Customer Service Specialists are available Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• If you are enrolled in an EasyPay powered by Promise plan:

To become eligible for reconnection, you’ll need to pay 25% of your outstanding utility balance. Promise will collect the payment through the Promise portal or with the help of a Promise Customer Service Representative, and the remaining balance will be applied to your existing payment plan. Once payment is complete, please contact DWSD directly at (313) 267-8000 to schedule the appointment to have your water service restored. DWSD Customer Service Specialists are available Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

For those customers who receive monthly DWSD water bills, your bill is due upon receipt and is considered past due after 30 days of rendering the bill.

DWSD Customer Service Specialists are available 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday by calling (313) 267-8000. DWSD recognizes the following holidays, on which representatives are not available, except for water or sewer emergencies:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Presidents Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• New Year’s Eve

Promise representatives are available from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday by calling +1 (313) 435-2055. Promise recognizes the following holidays, on which representatives are not available:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Presidents Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Indigenous Peoples Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day