Drinking Water Division

Bay County Water Treatment Plant Contact Information

Bay County Water Division
3410 Transmitter Road
Panama City, FL 32404

Phone: 850-872-4785
Fax: 850-872-4805


Frequently Asked Questions


Where do I go to set up a new water and sewer account?

The Bay County Utility Services Administration Building is located at 3410 Transmitter Road in Panama City. 872-7725 or 872-7726.

What are your office hours?

Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 5:00 pm

Can I make my payment online?

This option is not available at this time.

What payment methods are available?

We accept cash, checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. A payment drop box is located next to the front entrance.

Where do I report water leaks or water emergencies?

During regular office hours, you can call 872-7725 or 872-7726. After hours, call 872-4786.

How do I locate the master water valve in my house?

The most common locations for the master water supply valve in a home or apartment are:

  • where the water supply pipe enters the home
  • near the clothes washer hook-up
  • near the water heater

Once, you've located the master valve, mark it with something distinctive – bright paint, a flag or ribbon. This will save valuable time should you ever experience interior flooding or other crises requiring quick water shut-off.

How can I tell if I have a leak?

You can use your water meter to check for leaks.

  1. Turn off all the water uses in your house (faucets, dishwasher, laundry, irrigation system, etc.) and grab a screwdriver.
  2. Find your water meter. In most cases, it will be in front of your house near the sidewalk or street. The meter is in a small underground box. Look for a rectangular meter cover that could be made of cement, metal, or plastic.
  3. Lift the cover using the screwdriver or other tool.
  4. If there is more than one meter in the box, either you have more than one meter or one belongs to your neighbor. If you have two meters and one is for the irrigation system, turn on the irrigation system to find out which is the irrigation meter. If you share a meter box and one belongs to your neighbor, you can turn on an outside spigot on your house and see which meter turns in response to find out which meter is yours.
  5. Once you have identified the proper meter, lift the meter cap and look for the flow indicator – a small red or black triangle. If the flow indicator is not moving, there is no leak.
  6. Close the meter cap to protect the lens, and carefully replace the meter cover.

What can I do if I have a leak?

A series of simple tests will identify the most common types of leaks:

  1. Double-check to see that all water was turned off. What about automatic refill usage, such as the pool, fountain, water softener, automatic ice maker, and hot water heater?
  2. Is the leak indoors or outdoors? Turn off the master shutoff valve, and if the flow indicator is still spinning, your leak is outdoors between the meter and the shutoff valve. Locate and repair underground leaks as soon as possible, because if left unchecked, they could cause property damage.
  3. If the leak is indoors, first check the toilets. Shut off all toilets using the valve at the wall behind the toilet, and check the flow indicator. If it stops spinning, at least one toilet is spinning. Turn them on one by one, checking the flow indicator after each one; more than one toilet could be leaking.
  4. Check other appliances, including water softener, water heater, water cooled air conditioner, and automatic ice maker. Almost all have bypass valves. Turn them off one by one, checking the meter between each.
  5. Turn off the master valve to the irrigation system and check the meter. This will identify a leak in the headworks of the irrigation system, but not in the distribution pipes or sprinkler heads.

If none of these tests locate your leak, it's time to call the plumber.

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