Frequently asked questions
PromisePay is an online service that makes it easy to pay off your total water bill balance and become debt-free. PromisePay works with San Jose Water (SJW) and other utilities to offer flexible, interest-free payment plans for past due bills.
San Jose Water is offering flexible payment plans through PromisePay to help you pay the balance of your bill in a way that works best for you. Some customers may also receive grants through programs, such as the Federal Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, to pay part of their past-due balance.
Yes, the following transaction fees apply:
- Bank Transfers (ACH): $1.50 per transaction
- Credit/Debit/Apple Pay/Google Pay: $3.00 per transaction for payments up to $499. 3% per transaction for payments of $500 and greater.
Please note that the above listed transaction fees only apply to payments made to PromisePay. For information about transaction fees associated with other payments to San Jose Water, please visit: https://www.sjwater.com/payments/customer-portal-faqs
Any SJW customer with a past due balance of at least $100 is eligible for a PromisePay payment plan.
No, customers with existing SJW payment plans cannot sign up for a PromisePay plan. If you have an existing plan, you will need to cancel it, and then sign up for a PromisePay plan.
We understand that times have been tough for many with layoffs and the lingering effects of COVID. SJW has partnered with PromisePay to offer flexible payment plans to meet your individual needs, help you get back on your feet, and protect you from service disconnections.
No, these payment plans are interest-free.
You can sign up quickly at sjwater.promise-pay.com with three simple steps:
- Choose a plan that works for you. We offer a wide range of options.
- Make your first payment. We accept credit/debit cards, prepaid cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and bank transfers (ACH).
- Pay off your balance over time with no interest or late fees. We make it easy with automated monthly payments and reminders.
All residential and commercial SJW customers with a total past due balance of $100 or more qualify for an interest-free payment plan.
Your payment plan will cover your past due balance as of today. You must continue to pay all new water bills by the due date to SJW.
Your new bills must be paid to SJW to keep your water service connected. Your payment plan payments will be processed by PromisePay.
If you need an extension on your payment plan or need to make a change, just let us know. We are here to do whatever we can to help make it work. Please call (408) 668-1509 for assistance.
Once you are enrolled in a payment plan with PromisePay, you will need to keep up with your monthly payments with PromisePay AND pay all current water bills directly to SJW. If you stay current on both your plan payments and pay all current water charges, you won’t have to worry about a water service disconnection.
Customers must stay up-to-date on both their PromisePay plan and current SJW bill to avoid water service disconnection. SJW customers who are in good standing with their PromisePay plan are allowed to add one current bill to their PromisePay plan during the lifetime of the plan. To see if you are eligible for a one-time add from your current SJW bill, please call Promise at (408) 668-1509.
Yes, if you sign up for a payment plan with PromisePay, you are still eligible for available community-based grants or other relief (i.e. State or Federal).
Please contact San Jose Water at (408) 279-7900 or email customer.service@sjwater.com.
Please contact San Jose Water at (408) 279-7900 or customer.service@sjwater.com.
SJW has returned to water shutoffs after an extended period of time due to COVID and other factors.
If you have a past-due balance, you will need to pay your bill to avoid having your water service discontinued. If you enter into a payment plan and meet all requirements, your water service will NOT be shutoff. You must stay up-to-date on both your PromisePay plan AND current San Jose Water bill to avoid a shutoff. More information is available at: sjwater.com/promise-pay
Yes, it can help. But to fully avoid disconnection of service, you’ll need to continue paying both your PromisePay payment plan AND your current San Jose Water bill.
Please follow these steps to have your water service restored:
- Please call San Jose Water at (408) 279-7900 to inform them that your water has been shut off.
- To have your water service restored, a customer may pay 15% of their current past-due total and must set up a PromisePay plan for the remaining balance. Please note that setting up a PromisePay plan requires a payment of at least $50. Therefore, the total a customer must pay to have their water services restored is 15% of their current past-due total and an additional $50 to set up a PromisePay plan.
- San Jose Water will collect the payment for the 15% of the customer’s current past-due total. After doing so, San Jose Water will connect the customer with a Promise representative to set up a PromisePay plan.
- After setting up the PromisePay plan, the water service will be restored within 24 hours.
Your bill is considered past due 19 days after SJW mails it to you. Once an account is past due, the person or entity listed on the bill and responsible for the payment is mailed a Past Due Notice. The Past Due Notice contains information about ways to pay your bill, also available here.
PromisePay recognizes the following holidays and our customer representatives are not available:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Presidents’ Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Fourth of July
- Labor Day
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
San Jose Water recognizes the following holidays, and representatives are not available:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Presidents’ Day
- Cesar Chavez Day
- Memorial Day
- Fourth of July
- Labor Day
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day