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Rates & Connection Fees
How your residential bill is calculated
Residential water use is billed on a four-tiered pricing system, based on annual average (AA) water use for accounts active for one or more years, or 100 gallons a day multiplied by the number of days in the billing cycle, whichever is greater. When applicable, outdoor water use meter readings from irrigation meters are combined with indoor use in calculating the AA. The minimum AA is 3,000 gallons per month.
If you are a new residential customer, your AA will be calculated based on a two-person household with an average use of 50 gallons a day per person. If you have more than two people in your household, you can request an adjustment. To do so, you must complete and submit a water service request and affidavit form to:
Water Business Office
124 E. Hancock Ave.
Athens, GA 30601
All rates below are effective July 1, 2021*.
Water and Sewer Rates & Fees brochure (PDF)
*Changes to Tier 1, 2, 3, & 4 rates began in 2020, widening Tiers 2 & 3 to allow for more water consumption before entering the next tier. In addition, residential accounts are moving from a winter average (WA) to an annual average (AA) and will take effect as software updates are completed.
To provide COVID-19 relief to our customers, a planned rate increase for July 2021 did not take effect.
| Residential Water Rate Structure |
| Tier 1 - Winter Average (WA) | AA water use is calculated at a rate of $5.73 per 1,000 gallons. |
| Tier 2 - Up to 10% over WA | Additional water use up to 10% over the WA is calculated at a rate of $7.16 per 1,000 gallons. |
| Tier 3 - More than 10% over WA | Additional water use of more than 10% up to 25% over WA is calculated at a rate of $8.59 per 1,000 gallons. |
| Tier 4 - More than 25% over WA | Additional water use of more than 25% over the WA is calculated at a rate of $14.32 per 1,000 gallons. |
| Sewer Rates |
| Residential sewer use is equal to 100% of water consumption | $6.76 per 1,000 gallons |
| Customer Service Fee | ||||
Monthly customer service fees cover the overhead costs for meter reading, fixed costs, and billing operations.
|
| Meter Fee |
| A monthly meter covers the cost of meter maintenance and upgrades. The meter fee is billed based on meter size. Residential homes typically have a 3/4-inch water meter. |
| Meter Size | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| 3/4 inch | $0.47 |
| 1 inch | $1.05 |
| 1.5 inch | $3.29 |
| 2 inch | $25.55 |
| 3 inch | $34.73 |
| 4 inch | $48.08 |
| 6 inch | $118.47 |
| 8 inch | $156.82 |
| Irrigation Meter Rates |
| Sewer: Because water from a separate irrigation meter does not enter the sanitary sewer system, no sewer charges apply to water consumed through this meter. |
| Water: Water passing through a household meter and separate irrigation meter are combined and billed on the four-tiered pricing system. |
Additional Resources
How your non-residential bill is calculated
Non-residential water use is billed on a uniform water rate of $5.73 per 1,000 gallons. The annual average (AA) does not apply to commercial, industrial, institutional, multi-family, and other accounts with meters larger than 3/4 inch.
All rates below are effective July 1, 2021.
Water and Sewer Rates & Fees brochure (PDF)
*All non-residential water use (except irrigation) will be billed at a Uniform Tier 1 rate.
To provide COVID-19 relief to our customers, a planned rate increase for July 2021 did not take effect.
| Non-Residential Water Rates |
| Uniform Rate | All water billed at Tier 1 costs, $5.73 per 1,000 gallons. |
| Sewer Rates |
| Non-residential sewer use is equal to 100% of water consumption | $6.76 per 1,000 gallons |
| Customer Service Fee | ||||
Monthly customer service fees cover the overhead costs for meter reading, fixed costs, and billing operations.
|
| Meter Fee |
| A monthly meter covers the cost of meter maintenance and upgrades. The meter fee is billed based on meter size. Residential homes typically have a 3/4-inch water meter |
| Meter Size | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| 3/4 inch | $0.47 |
| 1 inch | $1.05 |
| 1.5 inch | $3.29 |
| 2 inch | $25.55 |
| 3 inch | $34.73 |
| 4 inch | $48.08 |
| 6 inch | $118.47 |
| 8 inch | $156.82 |
| Irrigation Meter Rates |
| Sewer: Because water from a separate irrigation meter does not enter the sanitary sewer system, no sewer charges apply to water consumed through this meter. |
| Water: A separate irrigation meter for outdoor water use is billed at the Tier 4 rate of $14.32 per 1,000 gallons. |
Additional Resources
Charges to Establish New Water & Sewer Services
Whether you are a homeowner, business owner, developer, or contractor who wants to hook up to the Athens-Clarke County public water and/or sewer system, the ACC Public Utilities Department is committed to serving your needs and making the process as efficient as possible.
Customers applying for a new water tap and/or sewer tap should allow four to six weeks for the installation to be completed. If you have any questions or would like a quote for your connection fees, please contact PUD Engineering Management at (706) 613-3490.
The following rates are effective on July 1, 2021.
Charges to establish water & sewer services (PDF)
| Water Connection Fee |
Water connection fees are paid when a building’s plumbing facilities are connected to the Athens-Clarke County public water system. While this normally applies to new construction of houses or commercial property, water connection fees may also be required when existing buildings or businesses are modified in a way that results in additional water demands. This one-time fee covers the fair share of the cost of these capital assets which are needed to deliver clean and safe drinking water.
| Meter Size | Meter Charge | Stub Charge (short side) | Stub Charge (long side) | Connection Fee |
| 3/4 inch | $326 | $1,055 | $2,030 | $1,800 |
| 1 inch | $493 | $1,252 | $2,233 | $4,500 |
| 1 1/2 inch | $721 | $1,719 | $2,742 | $9,000 |
| 2 inch | $1,475 | $2,175 | $3,289 | $14,400 |
| 3 inch | $3,242 | * | * | $28,800 |
| 4 inch | $8,158 | * | * | $45,000 |
| 6 inch | $12,657 | * | * | $90,000 |
| * Charges determined by the job |
| Sewer Connection Fee |
| Sewer connection fees are paid when a building’s plumbing facilities are connected to the Athens-Clarke County public sewer system. While this normally applies to new construction of houses or commercial property, sewer connection fees may also be required when existing buildings or businesses are modified in a way that results in additional wastewater being generated. This one-time fee covers the fair share of the cost of these capital assets which are needed to collect, treat, and safely recycle or dispose of wastewater. |
| Meter Size | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|
| 3/4 inch | $2,900 |
| 1 inch | $7,250 |
| 1.5 inch | $14,500 |
| 2 inch | $23,200 |
| 3 inch | $46,400 |
| 4 inch | $72,500 |
| 6 inch | $145,000 |
| Sewer connection fee for multifamily construction | 3/4 inch sewer connection fee multiplied by 0.6 multiplied by the number of units |
| Sewer Stub Fee | |
| 4 inch | $665* |
| 6 inch | $1,200* |
| *Plus casing and manhole, if required. |
| Development |
These fees are charged for the review of new development plans and for water system and sewer system evaluations.
| Development Permit Application Fee | $100 |
| Development Plan Review (per plan set, at avg 5 pages, no changes) | $150 |
| Water System Evaluation | $50 per connection |
| Sewer System Evaluation | $150 per connection |
| Water Main Inspection (per linear foot) | $0.95 |
| Sewer Main Inspection (per linear foot) | $2.20 |
| Other Charges |
| Paving Cut | $515 |
| Bull Head Connection | $100* *Plus additional amounts as determined by the PUD Director, that reflect the cost of labor, equipment, and other materials for the job, if required. |
| Fire Hydrant Meter Rental | $150 For water usage of 11,220 gallons. Water usage above 11,220 gallons will be charged per 1,000 gallons at the non-residential outdoor water use rate. |
| GDOT Right-of-Way Encroachment Permit | $130 |
Additional Resources