Frequently Asked Questions

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

To set up a new water and or sewer account you must come into the Utility Services Administration Building located at 3410 Transmitter Road in Panama City.

There is an application you must fill, bring ID because we will need a copy of that and also there is a deposit. The deposit includes a water deposit of $40.00, a sewer deposit of $80.00, and a $15.00 service charge which will total $135.00. If you have an irrigation meter there is an extra $40.00 deposit which will make your deposit $175.00.

What are your office hours?

The Bay County Utility Services Administration Buildings office hours are Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 5:00 pm

What payment methods are available?

There are three options on how you can pay your utility bill.

  1. In Person. The Bay County Utility Services Administration Building is located at 3410 Transmitter Road in Panama City. It is located south of Highway 231 on the east side of Transmitter Road. We accept cash, checks, money orders, and Visa, MasterCard and Discover (with valid ID).
  2. Drop Box. The drop box is located to the right of the front entrance of the Utility Services Administration Building. You can drop your bill off at any time in that box. The box is emptied every morning, Monday through Friday.
  3. Credit card over the phone. You can call the Bay County Utility Services Administration Building at (850) 872-4785 to pay your utility bill over the phone with a credit card.

(The option to pay online is not available at this time)

Where do I report water leaks or water emergencies?

To report a water leak or water emergency you can call (850) 872-4785 during regular office hours and you can call (850)872-4786 after regular office hours.

How do I have my service restored after disconnect for non-payment?

The due date for all residential water / sewer bills is 15 days after the bills are mailed. Accounts for which payments are not received by the due date will receive a 10% late penalty. Any accounts that have not been paid within 15 days of the due date (30 days after bills are mailed) will be subject to be disconnected. Accounts disconnected for non-payment will require payment of the outstanding balance plus a reconnect fee in order to restore service. Deposits will not be used to cover the past due balance. The fee to be reconnected is $30.00 if paid during regular office hours and $60.00 if paid after regular office hours.

In order to have your service restored between the hours and 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm, you must call (850)872-4786 before 9:00 pm and give the operator your name and address. He will let you know the required payment amount and will contact someone to restore your service that night. You must place the required amount (check or money order only) in the payment drop box that night. If the payment is not in the payment box the following morning (by 7:30 am), your meter will be re-locked and you will be required to pay an additional fee to have the lock removed a second time. The additional fee to be reconnected again is $30.00 if paid during regular office hours and $60.00 if paid after regular office hours.

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?

To check for water leaks you can use your water meter. To do so follow these easy steps:

  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 and don't know where it's coming from?

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.

I have a pool and was wondering if you offer some kind of deal that allows me to fill it with a discounted price?

Bay County Utility Services does not offer a special price to fill your pool. All charges for water use stay the same no matter how much water consumption you use.


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