Arkansas Utility Connection Costs (2026): Tap Fees by City
Arkansas’s one-time water and sewer connection charges for a new single-family home differ enormously by city, and the highest published totals sit in fast-growing Northwest Arkansas. In Bentonville, a house on a lot created after January 22, 2026 owes $8,992 in city charges, almost all of it a new $7,867-per-home wastewater development fee; a house on a lot already platted by that date gets a one-ERU credit and pays $1,125 instead. In Fayetteville, a standard 5/8-inch meter costs $7,335 inside city limits or $7,676 outside, under a fee schedule that jumped twice in the last two years. In Little Rock, published charges total only $435 — but that number is incomplete, because Central Arkansas Water’s own service-line and meter connection charge is quoted per job and never published, so the real bill is higher. Bentonville and Fayetteville are both in Northwest Arkansas, a distinct, fast-growing region roughly 200 miles from Little Rock in central Arkansas, and it’s the Northwest Arkansas cities where fees are climbing fastest. Our database covers these three cities so far. Other Arkansas utilities are not yet collected, and we say so rather than guess.
Official fees in Arkansas
The table below lists every verified Arkansas fee row in our database, with utility, meter size and a link to the source document. All three cities structure their charges differently. Bentonville and Fayetteville each run their own municipal water and sewer utility and bill a mix of tap or service fees plus a capacity-style fee (Bentonville’s wastewater development fee; Fayetteville’s water and wastewater impact fees). Little Rock is split between two agencies: Central Arkansas Water bills the water side and a small system development charge, and the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority bills the sewer connection and inspection separately.
| City | Provider | Water typical new home* | Sewer typical new home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentonville | Bentonville Electric Utility Department (City of Bentonville) | $1,100 | $7,867 |
| Fayetteville | City of Fayetteville Water and Sewer Division (Water and Wastewater Department) | $3,482 | $3,853 |
| Little Rock | Central Arkansas Water | $150 | $105 |
* 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
Published one-time water + sewer charges for one new single-family home with a 5/8-inch meter (sources: City of Bentonville Water and Sewer Fees; Central Arkansas Water Code of Rules and LRWRA 2026 Consolidated Fee Schedule; City of Fayetteville Fees page, current under Ordinance No. 6994 effective July 1, 2026).
| City | Utility | Published total, 5/8″ meter | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentonville | Bentonville Water Utilities (city-run) | $8,992 (lot created after Jan. 22, 2026) $1,125 (lot platted by Jan. 22, 2026) |
$1,100 water service + $7,867 wastewater development fee + $25 account fee; a 1-ERU credit cancels the wastewater fee on an already-platted lot |
| Little Rock | Central Arkansas Water + LRWRA | $435 published (incomplete) | $150 CAW system development charge + $20 activation fee + $105 LRWRA connection fee + $160 LRWRA inspection. CAW’s own connection charge for the service line and meter is not published and is not in this total. |
| Fayetteville | City of Fayetteville (city-run) | $7,335 inside city limits $7,676 outside city limits |
$810 (or $997 outside) water tap + $855 (or $1,009 outside) sewer tap + $2,672 water impact fee + $2,998 wastewater impact fee |
How the rows are built. Bentonville: $1,100 water service + $7,867 wastewater development fee + $25 account fee = $8,992. With the 1-ERU credit, the wastewater fee drops to $0, leaving $1,100 + $25 = $1,125. Little Rock: $150 CAW system development charge + $20 activation fee + $105 LRWRA connection + $160 LRWRA inspection = $435. That total excludes CAW’s connection charge for the service line and meter, which its own Operating Policy says every applicant pays, but which sits in an unpublished “Schedule B” — so Little Rock’s real total is higher than $435 for every new connection, not just some. Fayetteville: $810 water tap + $855 sewer tap + $2,672 water impact fee + $2,998 wastewater impact fee = $7,335 inside city limits; with the higher outside-city tap amounts, $997 + $1,009 + $2,672 + $2,998 = $7,676.
City pages with the full fee rows, payment timing and local caveats: Bentonville water and sewer connection fees, Little Rock water and sewer connection fees and Fayetteville water and sewer connection fees.
What decides your number
- When your Bentonville lot was platted. A lot platted by January 22, 2026 (or covered by an earlier preliminary-plat pre-construction meeting) gets a one-time ERU credit that cancels the $7,867 wastewater development fee, cutting the total from $8,992 to $1,125. A lot from a later split or new subdivision pays the fee in full.
- Whether CAW’s unpublished connection charge applies to you. Every new Little Rock water connection owes it, according to CAW’s own Operating Policy, but the amount depends on the width of the street and isn’t posted anywhere. Get a written quote from CAW’s New Construction Service section (501-210-4910) before you budget off the $435 figure.
- Whether your Fayetteville lot is inside or outside city limits. Tap fees are higher outside the corporate limits ($997 water / $1,009 sewer versus $810 / $855), while the water and wastewater impact fees are the same either way.
- Which region of the state you’re in. Bentonville and Fayetteville are in Northwest Arkansas, where population growth is pushing utilities to raise capacity-style charges: Bentonville’s wastewater development fee took effect in January 2026, and Fayetteville’s water/wastewater impact fee roughly tripled in July 2026. Little Rock, in central Arkansas, hasn’t moved its comparable charges since 2002 (CAW) or issues them on a smaller annual schedule (LRWRA).
Frequently asked questions
How much are water and sewer tap fees in Arkansas?
It depends heavily on the city and, in Bentonville’s case, when the lot was platted. Bentonville charges $8,992 for a home on a lot created after January 22, 2026, or $1,125 on an older platted lot. Fayetteville charges $7,335 inside city limits ($7,676 outside). Little Rock’s published charges are only $435, but that excludes Central Arkansas Water’s unpublished service-line and meter connection charge, so the real total there is higher.
Why is Bentonville so much more expensive than the other two cities on a new lot?
Almost the entire gap is one charge: a $7,867-per-home wastewater development fee that took effect January 22, 2026 to help pay for sewer interceptor projects. Without that fee — which is waived on already-platted lots — Bentonville’s charges are only about $1,125, in line with much smaller cities.
Is Little Rock really the cheapest city in Arkansas to connect to water and sewer?
Not necessarily. Its published $435 total is the lowest number on this page, but it’s not a complete figure. Central Arkansas Water’s Operating Policy says every applicant also pays a connection charge for installing the service line and meter, priced by street width in an unpublished schedule. Get a quote from CAW before comparing it to Bentonville or Fayetteville.
Why do Northwest Arkansas cities keep raising these fees?
Bentonville and Fayetteville are both growing quickly, and their utilities have cited rising costs and the need for new capacity as reasons for recent increases: Bentonville adopted its wastewater development fee in December 2025 (effective January 2026), and Fayetteville’s water/wastewater impact fee roughly tripled under an ordinance that took effect July 1, 2026 after a rate and impact fee study. Little Rock’s comparable CAW charges haven’t changed since 2002.
Related pages
Other state hubs: North Carolina, Florida, Texas and Colorado. Nearby cities: Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma City, OK and Kansas City, MO. Guides: tap fee vs. impact fee, cost to bring utilities to land, utility costs for new construction and tap fees by city.
Sources
- Bentonville, AR water and sewer tap fees, Utility Cost Guide. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Little Rock, AR water and sewer tap fees, Utility Cost Guide. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Fayetteville, AR water and sewer tap fees, Utility Cost Guide. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- National cost estimates: Utility Cost Guide benchmark methodology.