Houston Water & Wastewater Impact Fees (2026)
Inside the City of Houston, water and wastewater come from Houston Public Works (Houston Water), and the connection charge that matters is the impact fee, priced per service unit. For applications accepted after June 30, 2026, the city’s fee schedule lists $2,553.11 for water and $1,830.24 for wastewater per service unit, and one service unit is one typical single-family home, so a new house owes $4,383.35 in impact fees and about $4,572 once the published permit and inspection items are added. These are the rates that took effect July 1, 2026; applications accepted as administratively complete by June 30, 2026 kept the prior rate. Houston re-indexes the fees every July 1, so the next change is due July 1, 2027.
Houston tap and connection charges at a glance
The table shows every Houston row in our database with its source. The two impact-fee rows carry the July 1, 2026 rates; the meter inspection and sewer permit rows carry the January 1, 2026 rates. Houston’s schedule is a citywide list of every department’s fees, so the connection-related lines are scattered: impact fees sit under Houston Public Works, the meter inspection under City Code Section 47-18(c), and the sewer connection line under the plumbing section of the building code.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer — Impact | ||||||||
| Sewer | Impact | Wastewater Impact Fee - fee per service unit, collected | — | $1,830.24 | per service unit (EDU) | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer — Permit | ||||||||
| Sewer | Permit | Building Code - Plumbing: Sewer Connection, each | — | $53.71 | flat fee | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer | Permit | Sewer Tap Permit Fee | — | $34.50 | flat fee | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Impact | ||||||||
| Water | Impact | Water Impact Fee - fee per service unit, collected | — | $2,553.11 | per service unit (EDU) | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Inspection | ||||||||
| Water | Inspection | Water meter inspection of a 2-inch or smaller meter | — | $100.71 | flat fee | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
Worked example for a single-family home in Houston
Assumptions: one detached house, one service unit, water meter 2 inches or smaller, water and wastewater both from the City of Houston, figures from the City of Houston fee schedule (Houston Public Works).
Published City of Houston charges for one single-family connection, applications accepted after June 30, 2026.
| Line item | Basis | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Water impact fee | $2,553.11 × 1 service unit | $2,553.11 |
| Wastewater impact fee | $1,830.24 × 1 service unit | $1,830.24 |
| Water meter inspection (2″ or smaller) | flat | $100.71 |
| Sewer tap permit | flat | $34.50 |
| Plumbing permit line: sewer connection, each | flat, on top of the base plumbing permit | $53.71 |
| Subtotal | $4,572.27 | |
| Administrative fee, where applicable | flat | $33.56 |
| Total with administrative fee | $4,605.83 |
The impact fees are $4,383.35 of the $4,572.27 subtotal, about 96 percent. Because Houston indexes them to the Producer Price Index each July 1 (City Code Sections 47-316(b) and 47-384(b)), the useful sensitivity is simple: every 1 percent change in the combined rate at the next July 1 adjustment moves the bill by about $43.83.
Houston’s figures are low next to other large Texas cities. For comparison, San Antonio’s SAWS charges $7,343 to $11,528 in impact fees for a 5/8-inch meter, and Austin Water charges $7,700 on a post-2023 plat. What Houston’s schedule does not show is the price of the physical tap, which is where the rest of the cost sits.
Costs outside the Houston fee schedule
We did not find a published City of Houston charge for making the water tap or setting the meter on a new single-family service. That is a gap in what the city publishes, not evidence that the work is free. Ask the permitting center who builds the tap for your lot and at what price. Beyond that, the private work is yours:
- Water service line from the meter to the house. National estimate $30–$150 per foot, typically about $50. See water service line cost.
- Sewer lateral. National estimate $50–$250 per foot, typically about $100. See sewer lateral cost.
- Tap and meter work not priced in the city schedule. National estimates: water tap or connection fee $500–$5,500 (typically about $1,600) and meter set $200–$500. See water meter installation cost.
- Base plumbing permit, which the $53.71 sewer-connection line is added to.
National figures are estimates from our benchmark set. The calculator lets you add them to Houston’s official fees:
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
Paying Houston fees: timing and process
Houston ties impact fees to capacity. The wastewater fee is linked to a Wastewater Capacity Reservation letter, which carries its own fees; we did not find those amounts in the schedule we checked. For how this capacity-based charge compares with the sewer allocation fees of six other cities, see the sewer allocation fee guide. Connection to the public sewer is required when a property is within 300 feet of a City sewer main (City Code Sections 47-11 and 47-12), which is also what triggers the $34.50 sewer tap permit.
The city’s Impact Fee Administration office handles the impact-fee side. The Houston Permitting Center announced the July 1, 2026 increase with the same per-unit figures as the citywide fee schedule, which is where the figures here come from. The Houston Public Works impact fee memo gives background on how the fees are set but is not a current rate sheet.
Houston fee changes to watch
- July 1 indexing. Both impact fees are adjusted to the Producer Price Index each July 1. The current $2,553.11 and $1,830.24 took effect July 1, 2026 for applications accepted after June 30, 2026 (fee schedule). The next adjustment is due July 1, 2027.
- Permit fees ($100.71, $34.50, $53.71, $33.56) are shown with a January 1, 2026 effective date and are verified.
Houston impact fee FAQ
What is Houston’s water and wastewater impact fee per service unit?
For applications accepted after June 30, 2026, the city fee schedule lists $2,553.11 for water and $1,830.24 for wastewater per service unit, $4,383.35 combined. The next adjustment is due July 1, 2027.
What is a service unit in Houston?
A service unit is the demand of one typical single-family residence. A single-family house is charged one service unit for water and one for wastewater.
Do I have to connect to Houston’s sewer?
If the property is within 300 feet of a City sewer main, connection is required under City Code Sections 47-11 and 47-12. The sewer tap permit is $34.50, plus a $53.71 sewer-connection line on the plumbing permit.
Why do Houston impact fees change every year?
City Code ties them to the Producer Price Index and adjusts them each July 1. Budget for a small increase if your application falls after that date.
I live in a MUD. Do these fees apply?
Not if your water and sewer come from a municipal utility district or another provider. These figures are for City of Houston customers only; a MUD sets its own charges.
Related: Texas utility connection costs by city · San Antonio (SAWS) fees · Austin Water fees · tap fee vs. impact fee · sewer connection cost · water meter installation cost · utility connection cost calculator · sewer tap fee
Sources for Houston figures
- City-Wide Fee Schedule: Houston Public Works, City of Houston (checked Sep 24, 2026)
- Impact fee memo (PDF, background only), Houston Public Works (checked Sep 24, 2026)