Your monthly City Services Bill  includes charges for water and sanitary sewer services (provided by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities) as well as for Storm Water Services (provided by Storm Water).  If you have a concern about either portion of your bill, please dial 311 (or 704-336-7600).

Water & Sewer Rates are adjusted annually to support a growing and aging water and wastewater system.  Safe, excellent drinking water continues to be delivered to you at a competitive price (see how our water rates compare to others and other budget details).  

Maintaining a superior (AAA) bond ratings allows Utilities to borrow money at very low interest rates.  This keeps construction costs low as we maintain the more than 8,000 miles of pipe and treatment plants serving you.

Water Bill Examples     FAQs    

*1 Ccf = 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons of water.  Try our NEW Rate Calculator

Water and sewer charges by category: 
*   Residential / Single-Family Home Customers     
*   Master Meter or Multi-Family Customers (apartment / condominiums)  
*   Irrigation Meter   
*   Commercial Customers
*   Sewer Only Customers
*   New Construction or New House (install water meter / sewer tap) 
*   Industrial Wastewater Charges   
*   Private Fire Line Service, Temporary Connections, and Hydrant Device Service Charge





Water & sewer charges for a RESIDENTIAL (SINGLE-FAMILY HOME) customer:
Your monthly bill for water & sewer services basically includes four components:
      1. Administrative charge for water $.06 per day per water service.
      2. Water Usage charge
Effective July 1, 2009 - Residential users pay a usage charge of $1.45, $1.64, $2.69 or $5.32 per Ccf of metered water usage, depending on the amount of water used.  One (1) Ccf is defined as 100 cubic feet (equal to 748 gallons of water) but is basically your meter's measuring unit or multiplier. The average residential customer uses about 8 Ccf (5,984 gallons). 
       3. Administrative charge for sewer $.06 per day per sewer service.
       4. Sewer Usage charge
Residential Customers pay $4.00 per Ccf of metered water usage to cover the cost of wastewater collection and treatment. However residential customers do not pay for sewer usage beyond 24 Ccf of metered water usage (which means your maximum sewer usage charge would be $97.80 per account during a 30 day window). (24 Ccf x $4.00 + $1.80 = $97.80)

Click here to see examples of water bill based on usage.


Master Meter or Multi-Family Customers
(apartment / condominiums)                    back to top

Your monthly bill for water & sewer services basically includes four components:
      1. Administrative charge for water $.06 per day per water service.
      2. Water Usage charge
Multi-family users pay a usage charge of $1.45, $1.64, $2.69 or $5.32 per Ccf of metered water usage, depending on the amount of water used and the number of units served by the master meter. Rate usage blocks are adjusted for the number of units served. 
       3. Administrative charge for sewer $.06 per day per sewer service.
       4. Sewer Usage charge
Multi-family Customers pay $4.00 per Ccf of metered water usage to cover the cost of wastewater collection and treatment. However multi-family customers do not pay for sewer usage beyond 11 Ccf of metered water usage per unit.

Click here to see examples of water bill based on usage.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you have an immediate question about your bill please dial 311 (or 704-336-7600).

Irrigation Meter             back to top

Your monthly bill for water service on an irrigation meter includes two components:
1. Administrative charge for water $.06 per day per water service.
2. Water Usage charge
Users pay a usage charge of $2.69 for the first 16 Ccfs of metered water usage.  User pays $5.32 per Ccf for each one used after 16.  One (1) Ccf is defined as 100 cubic feet (equal to 748 gallons of water) but is basically your meter's measuring unit or multiplier.

Irrigation meters do not pay sewer charges.

Click here to see examples of water bill based on usage.


Commercial Customers

Your monthly bill for water and wastewater basically has four components:
1. Administrative charge for water $.06 per day per water service.
2. Water Usage charge
Commercial users pay a flat usage charge of $2.04 per Ccf of metered water usage. One (1) Ccf is defined as 100 cubic feet (equal to 748 gallons of water) but is basically the meter's measuring unit or multiplier.
3. Administrative charge for sewer $.06 per day per sewer service.
4. Sewer Usage charge
Commercial customers pay $4.00 per Ccf of metered water usage to cover the cost of wastewater collection and treatment. Some commercial customers also pay Industrial Wastewater charges. Click here to go to the Industrial Pretreatment main page.

The combined water and wastewater fee per Ccf (748 gallons) is
$6.04 after July 1, 2009.


Sewer only account for a RESIDENTIAL customer back to top

Your monthly bill for sewer services:
1. Administrative charge for sewer $.06 per day per sewer service.
2. Sewer Usage charge

Effective July 1, 2009 - Sewer only residential customers pay a flat fee of $32.04 each month for service.  The fee is based on usage of 8 ccf (5,984 gallons) per month. 

EXAMPLE of a typical bill using:
$  1.80 sewer admin charge (during 30 days)+
$32.00 sewer usage (8 x $4.00) =
$33.80 TOTAL

PLEASE NOTE:  If you have an immediate question about your bill please dial 311 (or 704-336-7600).

What are the current INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER charges? back to top

INDUSTRIAL WASTE CHARGES with example calculations.pdf

Non-Monitored
Commercial High Strength Vol. Charge     $0.40 per Ccf

Monitored Only
cBOD                                                $0.24 per pound
Suspended Solids (SS)                       $0.10 per pound
NH3-N (nitrogen)                                 $0.50 per pound  

Monitored and Non-Monitored
Industrial Waste (IW)                          $0.30 per Ccf

PLEASE NOTE:  If you have an immediate concern about your industrial wastewater bill please call 704-336-3587 or go to Industrial Pretreatment page.


WATER/SEWER CONNECTION FEES, WATER/SEWER CAPACITY FEES & METER DEPOSITS  back to top

• New Taps web page (info to install a new water meter and/or sewer tap)
• Anyone desiring a new connection to the water system must pay a Capacity fee AND a Connection Fee.
• A meter deposit may apply.
• Rates are adjusted every July.

Water Connection Fees:
¾ inch                   $1,740.00
1 inch                    $2,172.00
1 ½ inch               $6,385.00
2 inch                   $7,193.00
3 inch                   $9,519.00 
4 inch                  $11,103.00

6, 8, 10, and 10x12 inch FMCT         At Cost*
4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 inch Fire Line      At Cost*

Water Capacity Fees:
    ¾ inch                                    $425.00
  1 inch                                    $1,063.00
  1 ½ inch                               $2,125.00
  2 inch                                   $3,400.00
  3 inch                                   $7,385.00 
  4 inch                                 $12,400.00
  6 inch FMCT                     $26,563.00
  8 inch FMCT                     $38,250.00
10 inch FMCT                    $61,625.00
10"X12"X6" FMCT             $91,375.00
  4 inch Fire Line                 $6,375.00
  6 inch Fire Line               $13,281.00
  8 inch Fire Line               $19,125.00
10 inch Fire Line               $30,813.00
12 inch Fire Line               $45,688.00

Wastewater Connection Fees
Up through 4 inch          $2,369.00
Larger than 4-inch         At Cost

Wastewater Capacity Fees (based on water meter size, not pipe size:

 ¾ inch                          $1,633.00 

1 inch                            $4,083.00 

1 ½ inch                        $8,165.00 

2 inch                           $13,064.00

3 inch                           $28,375.00

4 inch                           $47,643.00 

6" X 3" FMCT               $28,578.00 

8" X 4" FMCT               $48,990.00 

10" X 6" FMCT            $102,063.00 

10" X 12" X 6" FMCT    $236,785.00 

PLEASE NOTE:  If you have an immediate question about your bill please dial 311 (or 704-336-7600) or click here to send an email.

Fees for PRIVATE FIRE LINE SERVICE, VARIOUS TEMPORARY CONNECTIONS & HYDRANT DEVICE SERVICE CHARGE  back to top

Private Fire Line Service:

Less than 4 inch                  $6.31 per bill
   4 inch                              $6.31 per bill
   6 inch                            $13.96 per bill
   8 inch                            $23.98 per bill
 10 inch                            $37.86 per bill

Various Temporary Connections:

Garden Hose           $215.00 thirty days

2 ½ NST Fire Hose  $330.00 thirty days

WHOC                   $2.04 per Ccf or at current commercial rate            

Hydrant / Pool (WHCP)  $2.04 per Ccf or at current commercial rate 

*1 Ccf = 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons of water

Temporary water service from a fire hydrant

Service Charges:
Hydrant Device (WHSC)  $36.00

PLEASE NOTE:  If you have an immediate question about your bill please dial 311 (or 704-336-7600) or click here to send an email.