FAQs

You have four convenient options:

• Mail payment and account stub using the enclosed return envelope received with your utility bill.
• Your payment can be deducted from your bank account through automatic electronic fund transfer (EFT). To enroll please click here. Please note: To enroll in EFT you must have an outstanding invoice.
• Visit our office at 278 Greenbag Road during business hours of 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is also a drop box located on the island in our parking area that remains available 24 hours a day seven days a week.
• Pay your bill online by following the appropriate link at the header of this page.

The lobby is open 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and customer service representatives are on duty from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. To report an after hours emergency please call (304) 296-4322.

95% of our customers are billed bi-monthly (every 60 days).

Yes, any amount that exceeds the amount due on your bill will be credited to your account and applied against future bills. For your convenience, customer service can provide pre-filled utility bill stubs.

The amount you are charged depends on consumption and applicable tariffs. As an example, the West Virginia Public Service Commission's average household consumption is 4,500 gallons per month. Using this amount, your bi-monthly (every 60 days) charge is $46.35 ($23.18 per month) for water and $78.66 ($39.33 per month) for sewer. These rates are approved and monitored by the West Virginia Public Service Commission. Rate schedules and rate tariffs can be found here. To see how MUB rates compare to water customers across West Virginia please click here.

The average consumption is 2,000 gallons per person per month.

Your account number is listed on your bill. It is located halfway down the page on the left side.

You are required to be at home for your protection. When a MUB service person sets a meter the initial flow is limited to 10 gallons of water. This provides the customer an opportunity to ensure that everything is okay prior to initiating full water service. This practice helps avoid catastrophic damages should there be an open faucet, a broken pipe, a clogged toilet, etc. within the house.

Yes. Please note the new address on the return portion of your bill. You may also contact a customer service representative at 304.292.8443 to make the change.

• Electricity – FirstEnergy – 1-800-686-0022
• Gas – Dominion Hope – 1-800-688-4673
• Phone, Internet, TV – Verizon – 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966)
• Phone, Internet, TV – Comcast – 1-800-934-6489
• Frontier Internet: https://internet.frontier.com/
• Trash – Allied Waste (Republic Services) – 304-296-3696

Medical Necessity Deferred Payment Plan

Morgantown Utility Board recognizes the importance that water plays in protecting public health. This is why a customer with a Medical Necessity qualifies for a Deferred Payment Plan. It is meant to assist customers who have, or customers who reside with a person that has, a severe medical issue for which water service termination will prove especially dangerous.

It is important to note that there are no Public Service Commission of West Virginia rules prohibiting the termination of water service for customers with medical conditions. Therefore, please understand that the payment plan is NOT a payment waiver. The medical necessity paperwork from your physician permits MUB’s staff to negotiate and arrange a payment plan to avoid the termination of water service. Customers remain liable for all applicable water, wastewater and stormwater charges no matter of any a payment arrangement.

How to Enroll

If you believe that you qualify for the Medical Necessity Deferred Payment Plan, it is important to contact MUB immediately at (304) 292-8443. MUB staff will provide guidance and work on a payment plan if a notice of termination has been issued.

The primary requirement for enrolling is to have your medical professional submit a medical certificate to MUB. Most medical offices have a standard form for this purpose and are familiar with how to submit it on your behalf. These certificates can be hand delivered during customer lobby hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., by email to customer-service@mub.org, by fax at (304) 292-1526, or by mailing the certificate Morgantown Utility Board, 278 Greenbag Road, Morgantown WV, 26501. If you send the certificate by email, fax, or mail be certain to include a contact name and telephone number so that a customer service representative can reach out to you.

Please note: If you have received a termination notice and believe that you qualify for a Medical Necessity Deferred Payment Plan, it is important that you contact MUB immediately at (304) 292-8443. Do not delay!

Rainwater runs across impervious surfaces (parking lots, roofs, streets, etc.) and collects in the City’s storm sewers. Some of this water then travels directly into our rivers and streams. Occasionally, excess rainwater overwhelms the storm sewers and the water can flood homes, businesses and streets. In some locations (depending on the age and design of the storm and sanitary sewers) rainwater may overflow out of the storm sewer system and into an adjacent sanitary or combined sewer system. These excess flows are sometimes discharged directly into the watershed.

The EPA has designated Morgantown as a “Phase 2” stormwater community. This means that the City must actively manage stormwater to the new EPA standards. Morgantown is subject to significant penalties if it fails to comply with these federal requirements. Morgantown Utility Board is responsible for stormwater management by the creating ordinance available via Dropbox here. Stormwater rates can be found in Morgantown City Ordinance Article 929 located online here. The rates are in Sec. 929.05. - Flat rate charges.

MUB's active stormwater management program ensures that Morgantown complies with federal requirements. This also helps protect the area's urban watershed. Other benefits include flood control, a significant reduction in pollution caused by surcharged sanitary sewers, improved watershed planning, public education, and the improved maintenance, repair, and expansion of the overall stormwater collection system. Without stormwater management urban development in and around Morgantown would degrade water quality along with quality of life. We all have a stake in protecting our water resources and stormwater management is a good place to start.

The main source of drinking water for the Morgantown area is surface water from the Monongahela River, which in 2024 supplied 56.75 percent of the area's drinking water. The remaining 43.25 percent of our raw water supply is taken from the Cobun Creek fed Flegal Dam and Reservoir.

Morgantown's water is considered 'hard', with an average of 130.6 ppm.

The average amount of water MUB treats per day is 10.5 million gallons. Naturally, this amount varies according to WVU's schedule and the student population. To understand how much water this is, consider the following:

• If you took the water MUB processes every day and filled gallon milk jugs, then placed those milk jugs side-by-side they would stretch from Morgantown to Dallas, Texas. In a year, the milk jugs could stretch around the globe almost 16 times.
• If you stacked those milk jugs on top of one another they would be as tall as 7,571 Empire State buildings. That’s the equivalent to a building that’s 946,354 stories tall (the Empire State building is 102 stories tall).
• I you took the water MUB processes in a year and filled one-gallon milk jugs, then stacked those milk jugs on top of one another, they would reach to the moon, back again, and almost back to the moon.

Backflow is the unwanted flow of non-potable water and other substances in a reverse direction. This reverse flow of liquids, gases or substances can contaminate drinking water and pose a health hazard. For additional information please visit our Cross Connection and Backflow page.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is proven to protect against tooth decay. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when you eat foods that contain sugars and other refined carbohydrates, certain bacteria in the mouth produce acid. This acid removes minerals from the surface of the tooth, eroding enamel and causing tooth decay. Fluoride protects against this process by stopping or even reversing the tooth decay process. It helps to remineralize tooth surfaces and prevents cavities.

Adding fluoride to water helps protect teeth not only when you drink water but also when you consume items prepared with fluoridated water. This provides teeth with almost constant exposure to fluoride all day long.

This is important because toothpaste only exposes teeth to fluoride for 1-2 hours after brushing. Fluoridated water picks-up the slack for the reminder of the day. The results are fewer cavities or less severe cavities, fewer fillings and tooth loss, and less pain and suffering from tooth decay.

In fact, the benefits of water fluoridation are so significant that the CDC has recognized water fluoridation “as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.” This claim is backed by the American Dental Association which states that the organization “unreservedly endorses the fluoridation of community water supplies as safe, effective and necessary in preventing tooth decay. This support has been the Association's position since policy was first adopted in 1950.”

The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources revised their recommended water fluoridation levels in January 2011 to 0.7 (seven-tenths) milligrams per liter. This updated recommendation is based on EPA and scientific assessments to balance the benefits of preventing tooth decay while limiting any unwanted health effects.

Because the amount of naturally occurring fluoride in the Morgantown area is less than this recommended amount, MUB supplements the amount of fluoride in our water. Shortly following the revised federal recommendations, reduced its average finished fluoride level from 1.0 mg/l to 0.7 mg/l.

For additional information on fluoride in water please visit the below links.

• American Dental Association Water Fluoridation FAQ
• AWWA Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies Policy Statement
• National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine – Based on Science
• CDC Water Fluoridation Fast Facts
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Community Water Fluoridation
• W.VA. Code R. § 64-3-8 Public Water System Fluoridation
• DrinkTap’s Fluoride in Water page

Yes. The MOA can be found here and the Ordinance can be found here.

• On March 19, 2018 , MUB’s Board of Directors approved a MOA with the City of Morgantown for MUB’s management of customer accounts related to solid waste (garbage) billing service on behalf of the City
• On March 20, 2018, Morgantown City Council approved the MOA
• On April 3, 2018, Morgantown City Council passed the first reading or an ordinance amending city code for providing solid waste collection. The second reading of the ordinance passed by unanimous vote on April 17, 2018.
• MUB will begin providing management of customer accounts related to garbage billing service May 1, 2018.

Specifically, the Memorandum of Agreement states that…

• The City is responsible for addressing service quality issues, developing policies, setting rates and determining billing frequency and managing all regulatory matters.
• MUB is responsible for residential customer billing for solid waste services within Morgantown city limits. MUB will collect solid waste service funds and remit those funds to the City of Morgantown every 30-days, less an agreed upon fee for providing such service. (The annual fee for MUB to provide these services is $70,000. This fee is the designated cost of MUB’s billing and collection services. MUB will track these costs and report them to the City each year, along with any proposed adjustment to the fee.)
• While MUB’s role in this process is to provide billing services, MUB will field customer calls, emails, etc. related to solid waste (garbage) services. However, MUB will not directly address such matters. All customer input will be collected and entered into the City’s Citizen Request Tracker (see below for Web address) to be addressed by Republic Services.
• MUB will field and directly address billing issues.
• MUB will manage customer records for accounts identified as residential. The City’s solid waste contractor will manage all commercial accounts.
  • Residential solid waste (garbage) customers will be identified as MUB water customers connected to the water system by a 5/8” water meter unless already billed commercial. Others will be listed as commercial accounts and thus managed by the City’s solid waste contractor.
  • Multi-unit properties with one meter are classified as commercial accounts and thus managed by the City’s solid waste contractor.
  • EXCEPTION to the above rules: Units within a multi-unit property that are individually connected to the water system by a 5/8” water meter will be presumed a residential solid waste account and billed accordingly.
  • The City will establish a protocol for reclassifying solid waste accounts from/to commercial or residential. Such reclassification will include input of MUB and the City’s solid waste contractor when desirable. The City retains sole discretion for reclassifying accounts.

There will be no change in how these services are administered. They will remain separate and entirely under MUB management and governance. MUB is prohibited by law from using utility revenues to fund solid waste related services.

As stated above, solid waste (garbage) services will be billed every other month in accordance with MUB’s current billing schedule. For residential customers billed by MUB, the solid waste fees established by the City of Morgantown include…

The Fuel Surcharge of 5.72% is set by the West Virginia Public Service Commission and is reevaluated every six months. It is applied only to the Refuse & Recycling and E-Waste fees.

• MUB will bill for solid waste (garbage) services on the same cycle as water, storm and sewer services, which is every other month.
• A primary difference in billing is that where Republic Services billed in advance of providing service, MUB bills in arrears.
• MUB’s first bill for solid waste (garbage) services will be prorated. For example, if you receive a MUB bill in May, your solid waste services fee will be prorated according to the amount of solid waste services covered within that timeframe. This means that the second bill you receive from MUB for solid waste services will likely be higher than the initial bill.
• Republic Services will “cash-out” all customer accounts in April. They will deduct any amounts due from customer deposits and refund any remaining amounts directly to customers. This means that on May 1, MUB will begin all solid waste service accounts at $0 (zero) due.

Yes, there a number of benefits:

• MUB has the experience of managing tens of thousands of customer related accounts.
• This billing arrangement will save the City- and thus residents- postage since garbage billing service will be included on MUB’s regular bill.
• The new garbage billing cycle will be every other month rather than every three months. This helps many residents with their budgeting since they will not receive a single large due amount.
• The billing of both MUB services and garbage billing services is more convenient to residents. Rather than receiving two separate bills you will receive one.
• Perhaps the best news is that local residents will now be able to pay their garbage bills over the phone, online or through automatic payment using MUB’s current invoicing system. This is a tremendous convenience.
• The City’s solid waste contractor will collect all residential accounts without managing billing and service subscriptions. MUB and the City will ensure fees for service are collected. This should ensure that all residential waste is promptly collected.

• If it’s a billing issue, contact MUB at (304) 292-8443.
• If it is a service issue related to solid waste services, you may either…
  • Submit a comment via the City’s Citizen Request Tracker here. This form is located under Neighborhood Enforcement and the form is titled Garbage Service Issues. This information will be sent directly to the City Manager’s Office and Republic Services.
  • Call Republic Services at (304) 366-8900.
  • REMEMBER: If you have a water, wastewater, or stormwater issue please contact MUB.

The MOA is available here and the solid waste ordinance can be found here.

If you have additional questions or input, you may also contact the City of Morgantown directly at (304) 284-7405.

The water service line is the water line that runs from the meter into your home or business or from the property line to your home or business.

MUB owns all water lines extending from the water treatment plant to a resident’s/business’ water meter or property border if the meter is located inside the structure. The line that runs from the water meter to inside the house/business or from the property border to the structure is the responsibility of the property owner.

MUB only maintains records to the property border and/or meter, given that the owner of the property is responsible for the water service line on their property. It has not been MUB’s practice to inventory private property.

This inventory is being conducted in response to recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules. These rules require that water utilities identify the material of water service lines in local homes, businesses, daycares, and schools.

We are primarily looking to identify two types of water service lines. The first are lead service lines. The second are galvanized steel lines that are, or have ever been, downstream from a lead pipe. These were commonly installed in homes constructed prior to 1986.

Lead exposure can have serious long-term impacts on children’s health. The goal of the inventory is to identify and eventually eliminate lead water service lines and galvanized steel water service lines that have, or have ever been, downstream from lead lines.

Doing so is required by the Department of Environmental Protection and the West Virginia Department of Health.

MUB began communicating the Water Service Line Inventory in December of 2023. In February of 2024, MUB began including information about the inventory in MUB bills. We also published the information on our website and bill pay websites. Additionally, we shared the information on social media, in the local newspaper, and via voice and text messages.

If no information is received by MUB, the residence or business will continue to be identified as “unknown”. This could potentially be detrimental to the property owner if federal and/or state funds are made available for the replacement of lead or galvanized steel lines.

We are currently inventorying water service lines. However, interior water pipes and accoutrements are just as important as they too could contain lead or be made of galvanized steel. This includes soldered joints and old household plumbing fixtures. However, the current EPA requirement is the identification of lead and galvanized steel water service lines.

No. MUB uses a phosphate that works as a corrosion inhibitor. This creates a mineral barrier inside pipes to prevent lead from leaching. This is one of the reasons why lead testing to date has required no action from a property owner or MUB.

MUB makes it clear in the disclaimer when visiting the map that the data is not “for any commercial, legal or other use.”

MUB has developed a website at mub.org/inventory that can help. The site contains information for locating your water service line as well as a three-step process for identifying the material. Contact information is provided on the site should additional help be needed. If a printed copy of the information on the website is needed, a document containing the material will be sent to you at no charge.

If you are not the owner of the residence or business, you may complete the inventory survey or notify the owner and request that they complete the survey.

If you do locate a lead or galvanized water service line, please complete the survey form at mub.org/inventory then give us a call at (304) 292-8443. We will verify the service line material, conduct water testing, provide water filters, and work with you to determine the best route forward in terms of replacing the service line.

We are currently exploring options to assist those who have a verified lead or galvanized steel water service line. As viable options are identified, we’ll share this information with property owners that locate lead or galvanized steel water service lines.

These are areas that MUB inherited as part of system acquisitions. Unfortunately, detailed records are not always available for these systems; however, we are in the process of identifying the water lines in these areas.

Please do not hesitate to call us at (304) 292-8443, send an email to serviceline@mub.org, or visit mub.org/inventory.