On May 26, 2026, the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) launched new customer service systems following a multi-year planning, development and implementation effort. While the launch was successful and key milestones were achieved — including accurate account data conversion and system functionality — some issues have occurred with third-party billing and payment processing vendors.

As soon as these issues were identified, DPU began working with its vendors to investigate and resolve them as quickly as possible. We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding as we continue to address these issues and improve the overall customer experience, and we sincerely regret the frustration and uncertainty these problems caused.

The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are intended to provide customers with information and answers to common questions regarding these payment processing issues.

Why did it take so long for my payment to show up on my account?

Some customers experienced delays in having their payments reflected on their utility accounts due to issues involving two of DPU’s payment processing methods.

Most delayed payments were made through MyHQ or EZ-PAY. In these cases, payment files from one of DPU’s payment processors were not received as expected. The files were received on June 16, processing began on June 17 and is scheduled to be completed on June 18. Approximately 15,000 payments were affected by this issue.

A smaller number of delayed payments involved customers who mailed payments or submitted ACH payments using DPU’s old payment mailing address. DPU’s payment mailing address changed in June 2025.

If my payment cleared my financial institution, but isn’t showing up on my account, do I need to do anything? 

Payments that cleared your financial institution since May 26 are included in the payment files currently being processed. Those payments will post to your account and reflect on your next bill. Customers can view up-to-date payment information on EZ-PAY. 

What about late fees as a result of this issue?

Any late fees incurred as a result of these payment processing delays will be removed automatically. Customers do not need to take any action.

What is the correct address to mail my bill or provide the financial institution that provides my bill pay service?

The correct payment address is:

City of Richmond
Department of Public Utilities
P.O. Box 70621
Philadelphia, PA 19176-0621

Also be sure to provide your financial institution with your new 10-digit account number (ending with 0000), which appears on your June bill. Click here to use our Account Lookup Tool. 

I received a text message saying my bill is overdue , but I already paid it. Was that a scam?

The text message was from DPU’s payment plan vendor PromisePay, and was sent in error due to the delay in payments being applied. PromisePay has ceased text messages until after the delayed payments have been applied to ensure only eligible accounts receive communication about payment plans.

I signed up for paperless billing. Why did I receive a paper bill?

During the conversion, DPU’s bill print vendor did not properly reference customer email addresses and the bills defaulted to mail delivery. The vendor has corrected this issue and has resumed email delivery for those customers signed up for paperless billing.

Why does my MyHQ or EZ-PAY account show two account numbers?

As part of DPU’s new system, which went live May 26, 2026, customer account numbers changed. The new account numbers are 10 digits long. All account history prior to May 26 is viewable by selecting the old account number from the drop down. All account history after May 26 is viewable by selecting the new account number from the drop down. To note, MyHQ stores 36 months of bill history.

What should I expect for July?

July bills will look slightly different due to the utility rate changes that take effect on July 1 and the implementation of DPU’s new billing system.

Customers will see separate line items for utility charges on their July bill. Usage and base fees incurred through June 30 will be billed at the previous rates, while usage and base fees incurred on or after July 1 will be billed at the new rates. This ensures that charges are calculated accurately based on the applicable rate structure during each portion of the billing period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is changing? 

A: The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is upgrading its internal systems to improve efficiency and support better customer experiences in the future.

Q: Why is DPU making this change? 

A: These upgrades will help improve service delivery, provide better access to customer information and support future customer tools and enhancements.

Q: When is the transition happening? 

A: DPU’s system transition will begin on Friday, May 22, with the new system launching on Tuesday, May 26.

Q: Will there be any impacts during the transition? 

A: Yes. During the transition period, some customer services and account functions will be temporarily limited while systems are being updated.

Q: Can I still pay my bill during the transition? 

A: Yes. Customers can continue making payments during the transition using available payment options.

Q: What payment options will be available? 

A: During the transition period, customers may continue making payments through:
• MyHQ
• EZ-PAY
• Payments made after 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 will be processed on Tuesday, May 26

On Friday, May 22, customers may also submit check or money order payments at:
• DPU Walk-In Centers
• City of Richmond Department of Finance locations

Customers must have their account number on hand to make payments in person. Payments submitted by check or money order on Friday, May 22 will be processed on Tuesday, May 26.

Q: Can I make a payment at a DPU Walk-In Center? 

A: Customers may submit check or money order payments only at City Finance on Friday, May 22. These payments will be accepted and processed on Tuesday, May 26. Other payment transactions will be temporarily unavailable during the transition period.

Q: Can I still enroll in a PromisePay payment plan during the transition? 

A: New PromisePay enrollments will be temporarily unavailable beginning Friday, May 22 at 3 p.m. Enrollment services are expected to resume on Tuesday, May 26 at 8 a.m.

Q: I’m already enrolled in a PromisePay payment plan. Will I be affected? 

A: Customers already enrolled in a PromisePay payment plan should continue following their existing payment arrangements. Only new enrollments will be temporarily unavailable during the transition period.

Q: Will customer service still be available? 

A: Customer service representatives will remain available during normal business hours. However, representatives will have limited access to customer account information and may not be able to complete certain account activities during the transition.

Q: What services may be temporarily impacted? 

A: Customers may experience temporary limitations involving:
• Account lookups
• Account updates
• Customer account inquiries
• Some online account tools
• New PromisePay payment plan enrollments

Q: Will my utility service be interrupted? 

A: No. Water and gas services will not be interrupted because of the system transition.

Q: Will my account number change? 

A: Yes. Customers will receive a new DPU account number as part of the transition.

Q: What if I only know my old account number? 

A: DPU staff will still be able to locate customer accounts using previous account information to assist customers after the transition period.

Q: Will I need to create a new online account? 

A: Additional information about future customer account tools and registration details will be shared as they become available.