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Utilities and Property Services
Water, sewer, drainage, electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, and private property repairs have different owners. Identify the provider and responsibility boundary first, then use the current source for service, safety, billing, or construction questions.
Platform inventory
Utility work connected to local professionals
Route project work into the live plumbing, electrical, and HVAC directories.01
Identify the utility and the account owner
Begin with the service address and a current bill or closing record. Detroit Water and Sewerage Department handles Detroit water, sewerage, and drainage accounts, while energy and communications providers depend on the address and service territory. Do not assume the provider from a neighboring property or a general Metro Detroit search result.
When ownership or tenancy changes, ask the responsible provider what documents are required to start, stop, or transfer service. A property sale does not automatically resolve a past-due balance, repair responsibility, meter issue, or account-name problem. Keep confirmation records and verify the effective date.
02
Treat outages, gas odors, and downed lines as safety issues
Use the utility's current emergency channel for outages, gas odors, damaged meters, downed lines, or other utility hazards. Move away from the hazard before reporting it and follow the utility's instructions. Do not touch a downed line or attempt to restore gas or electrical service yourself.
The Michigan Public Service Commission publishes current emergency and outage guidance for regulated utilities. Municipal utilities and some other providers may follow different oversight structures, so confirm which agency has jurisdiction before filing a complaint or relying on a consumer-protection summary.
03
Separate public infrastructure from private property work
A utility may own the public main, meter, or service equipment while the property owner remains responsible for other piping, wiring, fixtures, or the service line. The boundary varies by service and circumstance. Ask the utility to identify its responsibility before authorizing excavation or a permanent repair.
Projects involving plumbing, electrical, mechanical, excavation, meters, service upgrades, or right-of-way work may require both utility coordination and permits. Confirm the enforcing agency for the property address, use applicable licensed trades, and determine who will request inspections before work begins.
04
Use assistance and complaint processes in the right order
If a bill, shutoff notice, outage credit, service quality issue, or payment problem cannot be resolved, first contact the provider and document the response. The Michigan Public Service Commission maintains assistance and complaint information for services within its authority. Program eligibility, shutoff protections, and funding availability change and must be checked at the time of need.
Rebuild Detroit does not collect utility payments, open accounts, dispatch crews, or determine regulatory jurisdiction. Use this hub to reach the responsible source and to find licensed property professionals after the utility has identified what belongs to the owner.
Primary sources