2026 utility-rate research
US Water Rates by City: 2026 Map and Source Guide
Water bills are local, tiered, and difficult to compare. This source-backed registry converts selected city water and sewer volumetric rates to a common per-1,000-gallon basis. The city panels show a 2020 comparison only where the same rate basis has been verified. A flat or falling rate is shown as such, not called a hike.
Interactive rate explorer
Compare current rates without losing the billing context
Select a verified city from the dropdown or map. An unshaded state means the registry does not yet contain a reviewed city, not that the state lacks public rate information.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 generalized boundaries.
Verified water and sewer rates by city
Sort the source-backed entries. Normalized rates enable comparison; the published-rate column preserves each utility's billing unit.
| Published combined rate | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GA | $12.32per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) | $16.47 | July 1, 2024 | 0.0% | |
| MA | $18.30per 1,000 gallons | $18.30 | January 1, 2026 | 1.8% | |
| NC | $10.53per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) | $14.08 | July 1, 2026 | 6.5% | |
| TX | $21.14per 1,000 gallons | $21.14 | April 1, 2026 | 7.1% | |
| IN | $8.54per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) | $11.42 | January 1, 2026 | -0.4% | |
| NY | $13.86per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) | $18.53 | July 1, 2026 | 6.0% | |
| PA | $18.13per 1,000 gallons | $18.13 | September 1, 2026 | 7.3% |
Methodology
How the rates are selected and normalized
- Official sources first: each entry links to the responsible utility, commission, or municipal rate publication.
- Volumetric charges only: the combined figure adds the represented water and sewer usage rates. Fixed meter, stormwater, minimum, credit, and program charges are excluded unless the entry says otherwise.
- A named tier or class: when a tariff has tiers, the registry states which tier the scalar represents. It is not a citywide average bill.
- A comparable 2020 baseline when available: historical headlines divide the current combined volumetric rate by the same utility's 2020 rate for the same class, tier, and included charges, then subtract one. Otherwise history remains pending. Philadelphia's published per-Mcf components are converted to per-1,000-gallon rates; its TAP rider is included in both years.
- One comparison unit: hundred-cubic-foot rates are multiplied by 1,000 ÷ 748 to estimate dollars per 1,000 US gallons.
- Source review before publication: rate, unit, effective date, represented tier, and official source are checked together. Cities remain unavailable until that review is complete; a customer-facing proposal also requires human bill confirmation.
Rates can change and bills can use seasonal, customer-class, minimum, or multi-tier structures. The percent change is not a change in a property's entire bill and is not adjusted for inflation. Use the linked tariff and a current bill for a property decision; this registry is a comparison aid, not a billing authority.
Why the published rate is only the start of a property review
A useful water-cost baseline separates price from billed volume. Record the utility, service period, meter size, water and sewer usage units, fixed charges, adjustments, and any estimated reads. Then compare the same operating period while accounting for occupancy, irrigation, cooling, laundry, leaks, and production.
That discipline matters when a tariff changes. A larger bill can reflect a higher rate, higher usage, a different tier, or several changes at once. The map provides the public price reference; a site assessment establishes whether a specific property has a measurable operating opportunity.
Where Flumera fits
Translate a rate into property-specific economics
Flumera reviews utility bills, meter and pipe details, access, pressure, and operating conditions before projecting savings or recommending a valve. The assessment separates the tariff effect from billed-volume changes and models purchase, lease, or shared-savings economics using the property's actual inputs.
Start a site assessmentRelated analysis
Continue the operating-cost review
Primary sources
Rate and inflation references
- NYC Water Board rates and regulationsNew York, NY · current tariff verified 2026-09-23NYC Water Board FY2021 rate history
- Philadelphia Water Department September 2026 ratesPhiladelphia, PA · current tariff verified 2026-09-23Philadelphia Water Department October 2020 tariff
- Boston Water and Sewer Commission 2026 residential ratesBoston, MA · current tariff verified 2026-09-23Boston Water and Sewer Commission 2020 rates
- Charlotte Water FY2027 rates and feesCharlotte, NC · current tariff verified 2026-09-23Charlotte Water FY25–FY26 rate comparisonCity of Charlotte FY2022 adopted budget, FY2021 user-fee schedule
- City of Houston fee schedule, water and sewer ratesHouston, TX · current tariff verified 2026-09-23City of Houston 2025 water and wastewater rates, commercial classCity of Houston 2020 water and sewer rates, commercial class
- Atlanta DWM water and sewer rates and Ordinance 24-O-1303Atlanta, GA · current tariff verified 2026-09-23Atlanta DWM current rate schedule held through 2028City of Atlanta FY2022 annual comprehensive financial report, 2020 tier schedule
- Citizens Energy Group Marion County water and wastewater ratesIndianapolis, IN · current tariff verified 2026-09-23CWA Authority 2025 nonindustrial sewer tariff, first 10 CCFCitizens Water 2016 commercial water tariff and CWA 2020 nonindustrial sewer tariffCitizens Water commercial tariff effective July 27, 2016
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: July 2026 CPI detailed tableWater and sewerage maintenance index
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: July 2026 CPI headline tableAll-items CPI-U comparison