Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) Development Charges and Tap Fees (2026)
Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), the city-owned utility, provides both water and wastewater service inside Colorado Springs, so a new home deals with one agency for its connection charges. On a 5,000–6,999 sq ft lot inside city limits, the three development charges add up to $14,371: a $7,243 Water Development Charge, a $5,260 Water Resource Fee and a $1,868 Wastewater Development Charge. The tap and permit fees add $845. The two water charges are tiered by lot size, and anything outside city limits pays 50% more.
Official fees at a glance
CSU publishes its charges in its Rules and Regulations tariff and repeats them in a shorter “2025 Development Charges and Fees” sheet effective January 1, 2025. We found no 2026 edition, and the tariff still carries the 2025 amounts. In the table below, the Water Development Charge and Water Resource Fee rows show the smallest and largest lot-size tiers; the full tier list is in the worked example. The wastewater charge is a single amount per single-family connection, and the small rows are permit and inspection fees for the physical work.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer — Impact | ||||||||
| Sewer | Impact | Wastewater Development Charge (WWDC) - Single-Family Residential, 3/4" meter, inside city | 3/4" | $1,868 | per unit | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer — Permit | ||||||||
| Sewer | Permit | Wastewater Permit Fee - New construction, single-family residential | — | $160 | flat fee | 2025-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Capacity | ||||||||
| Water | Capacity | Water Resource Fee (WRF) - Single-Family Residential, 3/4" meter, inside city | 3/4" | $3,847–$7,952 | varies | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Impact | ||||||||
| Water | Impact | Water Development Charge (WDC) - Single-Family Residential, 3/4" meter, inside city | 3/4" | $5,297–$10,949 | varies | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Inspection | ||||||||
| Water | Inspection | Water Permit Fee - Inspection (tap 2" or smaller on developer-owned main, by contractor) | — | $160 | flat fee | 2025-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Tap | ||||||||
| Water | Tap | Water Permit Fee - Tap into Utilities-owned main, 3/4-inch or less | 3/4" | $525 | by meter size | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
Worked example: a new single-family home
Assumptions: a detached home inside Colorado Springs city limits, a 3/4-inch meter, a tap into a CSU-owned main, and CSU’s single-family wastewater permit. The unknown is lot size. These are the tiers from the CSU Utilities Rules and Regulations Tariff, Section VIII.A:
CSU single-family water charges by lot size, 3/4″ meter, inside city (tariff amounts, 2025 sheet effective Jan 1, 2025)
| Lot size (sq ft) | Water Development Charge | Water Resource Fee | Both water charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 | $5,297 | $3,847 | $9,144 |
| 1,500–2,999 | $5,436 | $3,948 | $9,384 |
| 3,000–4,999 | $5,760 | $4,183 | $9,943 |
| 5,000–6,999 | $7,243 | $5,260 | $12,503 |
| 7,000–8,999 | $7,984 | $5,798 | $13,782 |
| 9,000–10,999 | $8,725 | $6,337 | $15,062 |
| 11,000–14,999 | $9,837 | $7,144 | $16,981 |
| 15,000 and up | $10,949 | $7,952 | $18,901 |
Now add the wastewater charge and the per-connection permit fees for three lots:
Estimated CSU connection charges, single-family, inside city, 3/4″ meter
| Charge | 4,000 sq ft lot | 6,000 sq ft lot | 16,000 sq ft lot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Development Charge | $5,760 | $7,243 | $10,949 |
| Water Resource Fee | $4,183 | $5,260 | $7,952 |
| Wastewater Development Charge | $1,868 | $1,868 | $1,868 |
| Water permit: tap into CSU main, 3/4″ or smaller | $525 | $525 | $525 |
| Water service line inspection | $160 | $160 | $160 |
| Wastewater permit, new single-family | $160 | $160 | $160 |
| Total | $12,656 | $15,216 | $21,614 |
We include the $160 service line inspection in every case; CSU lists the same $160 for inspecting a new service line and for a contractor tap on a developer-owned main, so confirm whether it applies alongside the $525 tap permit on your job. Moving from a 4,000 sq ft lot to a 6,000 sq ft lot crosses a tier line and adds $2,560, most of it in the two water charges. If the home needs a 1-inch meter, the tap permit rises from $525 to $600; we did not find single-family development charges for a 1-inch meter in the rows we verified, so ask CSU whether the larger meter changes the development charges as well.
What these fees don’t include
CSU’s charges buy capacity and the utility’s permit and inspection work. They do not include the service line on your lot, the sewer service line, excavation, pavement repair or the plumbing permit from the building department. We did not find a separate meter purchase charge in the CSU sheet. National estimates for the private work (methodology):
- Water service line: $30–$150 per foot, typical $50, so a 50-foot run is about $2,500.
- Sewer service line: $50–$250 per foot, typical $100, so a 50-foot run is about $5,000.
- Trenching in normal soil: $4–$15 per foot; rocky or clay ground can multiply that by 1.2 to 2.
- Plumbing permit: $100–$1,300, typical $300.
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
How and when you pay
CSU ties its development charges to the building permit. According to CSU’s tariff, the building permit must be obtained within 120 days of paying the charges; after that, you re-apply and pay at the rates then in effect. That matters most when rates are about to change, because a late permit can cost you the old price.
For taps, the $525 water permit covers a tap into a Utilities-owned main of 3/4 inch or less ($600 for 1 inch, $900 for 1.5–2 inches). When a contractor taps a developer-owned main of 2 inches or smaller, CSU charges a $160 inspection instead, and a return trip is $100, per the 2025 Development Charges and Fees sheet. The single-family wastewater permit ($160) covers inspection, with $100 return trips, and also applies to townhomes and mobile homes.
Changes to watch
- The newest fee sheet we could find is the 2025 edition, effective January 1, 2025. As of September 24, 2026 we found no 2026 sheet, so confirm the current amounts with CSU before you pay.
- The Wastewater Development Charge was unchanged from 2024 to 2025, according to CSU’s 2025 sheet.
Frequently asked questions
How much are tap fees in Colorado Springs?
For a single-family home inside the city with a 3/4-inch meter, CSU’s development charges run from $11,012 on the smallest lots to $20,769 on lots of 15,000 sq ft or more, before about $845 in tap and permit fees. A 5,000–6,999 sq ft lot pays $14,371.
What is the CSU Water Resource Fee?
It is a separate charge on top of the Water Development Charge that recovers the cost of water supply facilities needed to serve new development. For single-family homes it runs from $3,847 to $7,952 depending on lot size.
Why does lot size matter for a water tap in Colorado Springs?
CSU tiers both water charges by lot area, so a bigger lot pays more. The jump from the 3,000–4,999 tier to the 5,000–6,999 tier adds $2,560 to the combined water charges.
Do homes outside Colorado Springs city limits pay more?
Yes. CSU charges 50% more outside city limits. The Wastewater Development Charge, for example, is $2,802 outside the city versus $1,868 inside.
Can I pay the development charges now and build later?
Only for a limited time. CSU’s tariff requires the building permit within 120 days of payment; otherwise you re-apply at the rates in effect at that time.
Related pages
Colorado utility connection costs · Denver Water tap fees · Fort Collins tap fees · water tap fee explained · tap fee vs impact fee · utility connection cost calculator
Sources
- Utilities Rules and Regulations Tariff (Sections I.B, VIII.A, IX.B), Colorado Springs Utilities. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- 2025 Development Charges and Fees, Colorado Springs Utilities. Checked Sep 24, 2026.