The short answer
This is a legitimate payment for sewer and water services to the City of San Diego.
What is SEW*COSD?
SEW*COSD is the standard billing descriptor used by the City of San Diego (COSD) for online and automated payments for sewer and water utilities.
When residents pay their public utilities bill through the city's official payment portal, the transaction clears through the bank using this specific abbreviation to denote the service type and municipality.
- Verify the payment amount against your City of San Diego Public Utilities bill.
- Check your City of San Diego online account dashboard for a matching payment date.
- Ensure you did not accidentally set up duplicate automatic payments if you see this charge twice in one month.
Independent reference — not affiliated with City of San Diego. Billing names and policies change; verify with the merchant or your bank before acting.
Verified sources
Every claim on this page is checked against official sources — open them to confirm before you call your bank.
- City of San Diego Billing https://www.sandiego.gov
- San Diego Payment Options https://www.sandiego.gov/help-center?ref=unknowncharges
Reviewed Aug 31, 2026 · high · About UnknownCharges