Birmingham Water Bill Help 2026–27: Central Alabama Water, the H2O Foundation and Sewer Charges
If you live in Birmingham and your water bill is behind, the first thing to know is that the utility has a new name. In June 2025, the Birmingham Water Works Board voted to rename itself the City of Birmingham Regional Water Works, doing business as Central Alabama Water, after a state law restructured the board. Older letters, websites and agency flyers still say "Birmingham Water Works" or "BWW." It is the same utility, and the customer care number is the same: (205) 244-4000.
This guide walks through what the utility itself will do (extensions and payment plans), what it costs if service is cut, where outside money comes from, and how the Jefferson County sewer charge fits in.
Last checked October 2026. Fees, phone numbers and program rules change. Confirm with the utility or agency before you rely on a number.
First, Read Your Bill for Two Things
Before you call anyone, look at your bill and write down:
Your account number. Every agency below will ask for it.
Whether sewer is on the same bill. According to Jefferson County, Central Alabama Water and Bessemer Utilities customers receive a combined water and sewer bill. Customers of the other water providers in the county get a separate sewer-only bill from Jefferson County. If you live in the City of Birmingham and get water from Central Alabama Water, your sewer charge is most likely on your water bill.
This matters because sewer charges are based on how much water your provider says you used. A leak raises both parts of the bill at once.
Step 1: Call Before the Due Date, Not After
Central Alabama Water's FAQ is direct about this: if you can't pay in full by the due date, call customer care at (205) 244-4000 and ask for one of two things.
A due date extension. Useful if you're waiting on a paycheck or an agency payment that is already approved.
A payment plan (installment plan). Useful if the past-due amount is more than you can clear in one payment.
Here is the part people miss. The utility's FAQ says that if you miss a payment on an installment plan, the account is immediately "fast-tracked" back into disconnection status, and the plan is deactivated. Only agree to an amount you can actually pay every month. A smaller plan you keep is better than a bigger plan you break.
Also know this: the FAQ says that once an account is in disconnect status, paying part of the past-due amount will not stop the shutoff unless a payment arrangement was made. Sending $40 without calling may not protect you. Call, get the arrangement, and write down the date, the name of the representative and the terms.
What a Shutoff Costs
Central Alabama Water's published fees and FAQ list:
Delinquent status: an unpaid bill more than 30 days past due is placed in delinquent status, and a bill with an unpaid past-due balance is subject to disconnection at any time.
Reconnection fee: $63 for a meter 2 inches or smaller (the size of nearly all homes).
After-hours reconnection fee: $107 extra. The rate booklet's example applies it when service is restored after 3:00 p.m.
Residential deposit (with sewer): $120.
The utility's own rate booklet gives this example of restoring service: a $75 balance, plus the $63 reconnection fee, plus a $120 deposit, comes to $258. If service is restored after 3 p.m., the after-hours fee pushes it to $365. That is why calling before the cutoff matters so much. A $75 problem can become a $365 problem in one day.
Step 2: The H2O Foundation (Help 2 Others)
The Help 2 Others (H2O) Foundation is the water-bill fund tied to Central Alabama Water. The utility describes it as a nonprofit separate from the utility, administered by the Salvation Army and funded by donations from customers, community partners and employees.
What it pays for:
Water and/or sewer bill charges, including taxes
Plumbing repairs for leaks on your own property that drive up your bill
Deposits to restore service that was disconnected (these need H2O board approval and are only considered when the deposit can't be waived and paying it would be an undue hardship)
How much: up to $500, once in a 12-month period, according to the utility's H2O page.
Who qualifies: you must meet the income limits, the bill must be in your name, and you must meet at least one of these:
age 50 or older
currently receiving Social Security disability income
a documented medical condition that would be seriously worsened by losing water (subject to verification)
You also need a current unpaid water and/or sewer bill (or a documented need for a leak repair on your property), insufficient family or community resources to cover it, and assurance from the utility that the payment will keep or restore your service.
How to apply: call 205-244-4390, the number the utility lists for H2O. The H2O Foundation's own website lists an office at 10 55th Street South, Suite A, Birmingham, AL 35212, phone (205) 778-1900, says online applications are fastest, and lists walk-in hours Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon. Bring or upload a valid ID, proof of income, proof of residence and your current water bill.
A caseworker note: if you're under 50 and not on disability, H2O probably isn't your program unless you have a qualifying medical condition. Don't let that stop you. Go to Step 3.
Step 3: Other Places That Help With Water Bills
The utility publishes a bill payment assistance guide. These are the options from it that we could confirm on the organization's own site or that remain general referral lines.
Greater Birmingham Ministries (GBM). GBM's financial assistance page says it can help 16 families each month with utility bills, medications and housing costs. To apply, call (205) 419-1817 at 9:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of the month, except July, December and January. The line isn't available before 9:00, and only the first 16 callers get a callback. Leave the information the message asks for. (The utility's older guide lists a different number, 205-716-2168. Use the one on GBM's own page. GBM's main office is (205) 326-6821.)
The Salvation Army. The utility's guide lists the Salvation Army at (205) 328-2420 for emergency financial assistance, including utility bills, and as the administrator of H2O.
United Way 2-1-1. Dial 2-1-1 to search current utility funds, church assistance and emergency programs. Funds change month to month, and 2-1-1 often knows which church or agency still has money left.
LIHEAP is mainly for energy. In Jefferson County, LIHEAP is the federal program for heating and cooling bills. If your power and gas are also behind, applying there can free up cash for the water bill. Don't expect LIHEAP to pay the water bill itself.
Step 4: If Your Sewer Bill Is Separate
If you're outside Central Alabama Water's billing and get a separate sewer bill from Jefferson County:
Sewer billing customer service is 205-325-5390 (Jefferson County Environmental Services).
The Low-Income Sewer Assistance Program (LISAP), funded by the Jefferson County Community Service Committee and run by the Mabel L. Chambers Endowment, says it is paying up to $100 per household toward the sewer portion of a bill. Applications go in a drop box at 2527 9th Avenue N., Bessemer, AL 35020, or online through the Endowment's website.
Step 5: If the Bill Suddenly Jumped
A sudden spike usually means a leak, a misread meter or an estimate.
Ask for a re-read. The FAQ says you can request a meter re-read through the website, through the automated line at (205) 244-4000 (option 4, then 5), or by speaking to a representative.
Check for a running toilet or dripping fixture. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank; if color shows in the bowl without flushing, the flapper is leaking.
If the leak is on your property and you qualify, H2O can pay for plumbing repairs, which fixes the cause and not just this month's bill.
Where to Pay in Person
Central Alabama Water lists its customer payment center at 101 35th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35222. Lobby and drive-thru hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone line runs 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. A 24-hour drop box is available; drop box payments post the next business day. If you're paying to stop a same-day shutoff, pay where it posts immediately and ask for a receipt. Don't count on the drop box.
A Two-Day Plan If You Have a Shutoff Notice
Day 1:
Call (205) 244-4000. Ask for an extension or a payment plan and the exact shutoff date.
If you're 50+, on SSDI or have a qualifying medical condition, apply to H2O the same day.
Dial 2-1-1 for any church or agency fund open this week.
Day 2:
If it's the first Wednesday of the month, call GBM at 9:00 a.m. sharp.
If you have a separate county sewer bill, apply to LISAP.
Call the utility back with any agency pledge. Ask whether the pledge holds the disconnect, and write down who told you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birmingham Water Works the same as Central Alabama Water?
Yes. The board renamed itself in June 2025 and now does business as Central Alabama Water. The customer care number is still (205) 244-4000.
Will a partial payment stop my water from being shut off?
Not by itself. The utility's FAQ says that once an account is in disconnect status, only a full payment brings it current unless a payment arrangement was made. Call and set up the arrangement.
What happens if I miss a payment on my payment plan?
The account goes straight back into disconnection status and the plan is cancelled. Pick a plan amount you can actually keep up with.
How much is the reconnection fee?
$63 for a standard residential meter, plus $107 if service is restored after hours. You may also owe a $120 deposit.
How much can the H2O Foundation pay?
Up to $500, once every 12 months, for eligible customers.
I'm 35 and not disabled. Can I get help?
Probably not from H2O unless you have a qualifying medical condition. Try Greater Birmingham Ministries, the Salvation Army and 2-1-1, and ask the utility for a payment plan.
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