On June 23, 2025, the City of Portsmouth implemented a new billing system for water and utilities. The transition did not proceed as expected, leading to confusion and delays. The Portsmouth VA Utilities Department has acknowledged these issues and apologized for any inconvenience caused.
The department reported that some payments made by phone or online were mistakenly sent to a testing site instead of the actual payment site. Consequently, these payments were neither received nor credited to customers’ bills. The department is reaching out directly to affected customers to resolve this issue. Customers who made payments between June 23 and June 30 are advised to review their accounts and resubmit payments if necessary. Importantly, no late fees will be imposed during this period.
Additionally, there was a delay in processing payments received during the transition from the old system to the new one, which occurred between June 13 and June 23. These payments are expected to be updated by July 11.
To address these problems, the City of Portsmouth has assured residents that no late fees or penalties will be applied while they work on resolving the issues. Each account is being reviewed individually to ensure accurate billing without overcharges or undercharges. Communication efforts include sending letters, emails, or making phone calls to those affected.
Furthermore, discussions with the software company responsible for the new system are underway to understand what went wrong and how future transitions can be improved.
The City of Portsmouth expressed regret for any inconvenience caused and thanked residents for their patience as they work towards resolving all issues related to the billing system change.
