Florida Utility Connection Costs (2026): Tap Fees by City
For a new single-family home in the Florida areas we cover, official one-time water and sewer charges run from about $4,400 to about $9,100 before private plumbing where the water and sewer services already reach the lot, and up to $17,969 in Jacksonville when JEA has to tap both mains. Inside the City of Orlando, OUC water plus city sewer comes to $9,067.50 when OUC installs the whole service, or $4,442.50 when your contractor builds the line and the lot has reclaimed water. Unincorporated Orange County charges $8,060 in capital charges alone. Inside Tampa, the published charges total about $6,465 outside the special CIAC areas, but Tampa’s water schedule is labeled 2021 and needs confirmation. In Jacksonville, JEA’s tariff adds up to $8,279 on a lot whose water and sewer services are already built, or $17,969 when JEA has to tap both mains (a 6-inch sewer tap alone is $8,330); we read JEA’s tariff from an archived copy, so confirm with JEA before you budget. See our Jacksonville (JEA) page. Florida impact fee rules and a city-by-city comparison are on our impact fees guide.
Official fees in Florida
The table summarizes the default official residential water and sewer fees for a typical new home in each Florida city we cover, with the provider and a link to the city page. The Florida utilities we cover price capacity per equivalent residential connection or unit (ERC or ERU), and a single-family home usually counts as one. OUC defines its ERC as 275 gallons per day. On top of capacity, the utility charges for the physical connection and meter. In some Tampa areas the city adds a contribution in aid of construction (CIAC) charge.
| City | Provider | Water typical new home* | Sewer typical new home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral | City of Cape Coral Utilities | $1,845 | $3,090 |
| Fort Myers | City of Fort Myers Utilities | $3,503.39 | $3,514.01 |
| Jacksonville | JEA | $3,165 | $5,114 |
| Lakeland | City of Lakeland Water Utilities | $4,235.15 | $3,820.85 |
| Ocala | City of Ocala Water Resources (Water & Sewer) | $1,127 | $2,951 |
| Orange County | Orange County Utilities (OCU) | $2,790 | $5,270 |
| Orlando | City of Orlando Public Works - Water Reclamation Division | $6,480 | $2,537.50 |
| Port St. Lucie | Port St. Lucie Utility Systems Department (PSLUSD) | $7,025 | $5,222 |
| Tampa | City of Tampa Wastewater Department | $5,178 | $1,237 |
| Unincorporated Hillsborough County | Hillsborough County Water Resources Department (formerly Public Utilities) | $4,282 | $5,873.75 |
| Unincorporated Sarasota County | Sarasota County Public Utilities | $4,465.17 | $4,480 |
* Simplified sum of default official residential fees for a standard meter and one unit where applicable. Confirm your actual charges with the utility.
City comparison: one house, same assumptions
Official one-time water + sewer charges for one single-family home, smallest listed residential meter (sources: OUC Water Tariff Book, Jan 2026; City of Orlando sewer connection, no date shown; Orange County Utilities, plans on/after Apr 1, 2025; Tampa water fees, labeled Mar 2021; Tampa wastewater capacity fees).
| Area and situation | Water | Sewer | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando city, OUC installs service, 5/8″, no reclaim | $6,480 | $2,587.50 | $9,067.50 |
| Orlando city, contractor builds line, 5/8″, no reclaim | $2,785 | $2,587.50 | $5,372.50 |
| Orlando city, contractor builds line, 5/8″, reclaimed water | $1,855 | $2,587.50 | $4,442.50 |
| Unincorporated Orange County (capital charges only) | $2,790 | $5,270 | $8,060 + meter/install |
| Tampa city, non-CIAC area, 3/4″ (water: confirm with utility) | $5,228 | $1,237 | $6,465 |
| Tampa city, Downtown/South Tampa CIAC area, 3/4″ (water: confirm with utility) | $6,680 | $1,237 | $7,917 |
| Jacksonville (JEA), 3/4″, services already built (archived tariff: confirm with JEA) | $3,165 | $5,114 | $8,279 |
| Jacksonville (JEA), 3/4″, JEA taps both mains (archived tariff: confirm with JEA) | $4,525 | $13,444 | $17,969 |
How the rows add up. Orlando, OUC installs: SDC $2,325 + connection $4,155 = $6,480 water. Sewer impact fee $2,537.50 + permit $50 = $2,587.50. Orlando, contractor builds line: SDC $2,325 + meter set $460 = $2,785. With reclaimed water the SDC is $1,395, so water is $1,855. Orange County: $2,790 per ERC water + $5,270 per ERU wastewater. We have not collected OCU’s meter charges, so this row is incomplete. Tampa, non-CIAC: connection $2,800 + capacity $1,713 + meter installation $665 + application $50 = $5,228, plus wastewater capacity $1,237. A $45 deposit is extra. In CIAC areas the capacity fee drops to $1,020, but a $2,145 CIAC charge applies.
Three things stand out. Sewer, not water, is the expensive side in unincorporated Orange County ($5,270). In Tampa, and in Orlando when OUC installs the line, water is the larger side. Who builds the water line changes the Orlando bill by $3,695. And reclaimed water lowers OUC’s capacity charge by $930, while Orange County charges no capital charge for a reclaimed connection.
City pages with every fee row, timing and caveats: Orlando (OUC, City of Orlando and Orange County Utilities), Tampa water and wastewater, Jacksonville (JEA), unincorporated Hillsborough County, Port St. Lucie, Cape Coral, Lakeland, Ocala, Fort Myers and Lee County Utilities and Sarasota County Public Utilities.
What is specific to Florida
- Split providers. Water and sewer often come from different agencies. In Orlando, OUC supplies water and the city supplies sewer. Outside city limits, a county utility may supply both. A mailing address does not settle it, so check by parcel.
- City vs. county lines. Tampa’s water connection fee is higher outside city limits ($3,500 vs. $2,800 for 3/4 inch). Unincorporated Hillsborough County has its own fee schedule. The county adopted a phased increase in Resolution R25-111: in the South/Central area the combined water and wastewater impact fee reaches $13,270 per home by 2029. See why tap fees are going up for how the phase-in works.
- Plan-date rules. Orange County’s current capital charges apply to plans submitted on or after April 1, 2025, and they are paid right before the building permit.
- Septic areas. Some Florida lots have no sewer main nearby. If sewer is not available, see septic vs. sewer cost. If a well is the alternative, see well vs. city water.
Costs beyond the utility’s fees
Budget for the private work between the utility’s connection and the house. These are national estimates, not Florida figures (methodology):
- Water service line: $30 to $150 per foot, $50 typical.
- Sewer lateral: $50 to $250 per foot, $100 typical.
- Trenching in normal soil: $4 to $15 per foot, $8 typical.
- Plumbing permit: $100 to $1,300, $300 typical.
- New 200-amp electric service on the house side: $1,800 to $6,000, $3,000 typical. See cost to run power to a property.
Worked example: an Orlando city lot with the house 50 feet from the street, OUC installing the water service. The official fees are $9,067.50. OUC’s service charge already covers the line to the meter, so the private water run is from the meter to the house. Typical private work adds 50 × $50 = $2,500 (water) + 50 × $100 = $5,000 (lateral) + $300 (permit), for a planning total near $16,867.50. Model your own lot: For a national view, see our guide to the cost to hook up to city water.
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to connect a new house to water and sewer in Florida?
It depends on the utility. Official charges in our data run from $4,442.50 (Orlando city lot, contractor-built line, reclaimed water) to $9,067.50 (Orlando city lot, OUC installs service). In Jacksonville, JEA charges $8,279 when the services are already built and $17,969 when JEA taps both mains. Tampa is about $6,465 outside CIAC areas. Unincorporated Orange County’s capital charges are $8,060 before meter fees.
What is an ERC or ERU?
An equivalent residential connection or unit is the capacity of one typical home, and it is how the Florida utilities we cover scale capacity charges. OUC defines one ERC as 275 gallons per day. Tampa and Orange County count a single-family home as one unit.
What is CIAC on a Florida utility bill?
Contribution in aid of construction is an extra one-time per-ERU water charge in designated areas. In Tampa, Downtown and South Tampa lots pay $2,145 per ERU, and Northeast Area lots pay $2,724, on top of a reduced $1,020 capacity fee.
Does reclaimed water reduce connection fees in Florida?
At OUC, a single-family home with reclaimed water pays a $1,395 system development charge instead of $2,325. Orange County Utilities charges no capital charge for reclaimed-water connections.
Where do the Jacksonville (JEA) figures come from?
From JEA’s Water and Sewer System Tariff effective December 1, 2025. JEA’s website did not respond when we checked, so we read the tariff from an Internet Archive copy captured March 4, 2026. Confirm the current charges with JEA before you budget.
Related pages
Other state hubs: North Carolina, Texas, Colorado and Arizona. Southeast cities: Charleston, SC, Charlotte and Nashville. Guides: tap fee vs. impact fee, cost to bring utilities to land, sewer connection cost and tap fees by city.
Sources
- Water Tariff Book (January 2026), Orlando Utilities Commission. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Request a Residential Sewer Connection, City of Orlando. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Utilities Permitting Fees (County Code Sec. 37-5), Orange County Utilities. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Water Connection and Service Fees (labeled “Updated March 2021”), City of Tampa. Confirm with utility. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Wastewater Capacity Fees, City of Tampa. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- National cost estimates: Utility Cost Guide benchmark methodology.