Fort Collins Utilities Tap Fees: Plant Investment Fees and Water Supply Requirement (2026)
Most of Fort Collins gets water and sewer from Fort Collins Utilities, the city-owned utility. A new single-family home on a 6,000 sq ft lot pays $8,354 in plant investment fees under the municipal code: a water plant investment fee of $3,878 and a sewer plant investment fee of $4,476. That is not the whole bill. Fort Collins also requires new development to supply raw water, either by turning over water rights or by paying cash at $63,800 per acre-foot, and that water supply requirement is often the largest single cost of connecting a new Fort Collins home.
Official fees at a glance
We took Fort Collins figures from the city’s municipal code (the Municode version dated August 27, 2026) because the Fort Collins Utilities website could not be reached when we checked. The water plant investment fee is a formula: a per-tap amount plus a per-square-foot charge on lot area. The sewer plant investment fee is a flat amount per dwelling. The water supply requirement row is a price per acre-foot, not a per-home amount; the number of acre-feet assigned to your lot is set separately. Tap and meter installation is billed at the utility’s actual cost plus 15%, so there is no flat amount to publish.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer — Impact | ||||||||
| Sewer | Impact | Sewer Plant Investment Fee (SPIF) - Category A Single-family | — | $4,476 | per unit | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Capacity | ||||||||
| Water | Capacity | Water Supply Requirement (WSR) - cash payment in lieu of water rights | — | $63,800 | formula | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Impact | ||||||||
| Water | Impact | Water Plant Investment Fee (PIF) - Single-family, first 3/4-inch tap | 3/4" | $914 | formula | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Meter Set | ||||||||
| Water | Meter Set | Meter installation charge (materials and labor by utility) | — | See formula | formula | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
Worked example: a new single-family home
Under Sec. 26-128 of the Fort Collins Municipal Code (last amended by Ordinance No. 022, 2024), a single-family home pays $914 for its first 3/4-inch tap plus $0.494 per square foot of lot area. Lots larger than half an acre are counted as half an acre (21,780 sq ft). The sewer plant investment fee under Sec. 26-284 (Ordinance No. 023, 2024) is $4,476 per single-family dwelling.
Assumptions: a detached home served by Fort Collins Utilities for both water and sewer, a 3/4-inch tap, no fire sprinklers. Three lot sizes:
Fort Collins plant investment fees by lot size (Municipal Code Secs. 26-128 and 26-284)
| Lot size | Water PIF arithmetic | Water PIF | Sewer PIF | Total PIFs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6,000 sq ft | $914 + 6,000 × $0.494 | $3,878 | $4,476 | $8,354 |
| 9,000 sq ft | $914 + 9,000 × $0.494 | $5,360 | $4,476 | $9,836 |
| Half acre or more (capped at 21,780 sq ft) | $914 + 21,780 × $0.494 | $11,673 | $4,476 | $16,149 |
A home that needs a 1-inch residential fire-sprinkler tap pays $1,548 instead of $914 for the tap portion, plus the same lot charge. On the 6,000 sq ft lot that makes the water PIF $4,512.
The water supply requirement
Sec. 26-129(c) sets the cash payment in lieu of water rights at $63,800 per acre-foot (325,851 gallons). We did not compute how many acre-feet the city assigns to a typical single-family lot, because that quantity comes from a separate code section and depends on the project. To show the scale, here is the arithmetic for a few assumed quantities. These are illustrations, not Fort Collins requirements:
Cash-in-lieu arithmetic at $63,800 per acre-foot (assumed quantities)
| Assumed requirement | Arithmetic | Cash payment |
|---|---|---|
| 0.10 acre-foot | 0.10 × $63,800 | $6,380 |
| 0.25 acre-foot | 0.25 × $63,800 | $15,950 |
| 0.50 acre-foot | 0.50 × $63,800 | $31,900 |
Even the smallest of these assumptions would take the 6,000 sq ft lot from $8,354 to $14,734. Ask Fort Collins Utilities for the water supply requirement on your specific lot before you price the project, and ask whether the developer has already satisfied it with dedicated water rights.
What these fees don’t include
The plant investment fees and water supply payment buy system capacity and water. The physical tap and meter are billed separately at cost plus 15%, and the private service lines, excavation and plumbing permit are your contractor’s work. National estimates for that work (methodology):
- Meter set, 5/8″ to 1″: $200–$500, typical $300. Fort Collins bills its actual cost plus 15% instead.
- Water service line: $30–$150 per foot, typical $50. At 60 feet, about $3,000.
- Sewer service line: $50–$250 per foot, typical $100. At 60 feet, about $6,000.
- Street cut or bore: $1,000–$10,000 per crossing, typical $4,000.
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
How and when you pay
The water plant investment fee is paid at building permit, according to the municipal code notes we recorded. Tap and meter installation charges are set by the utility’s actual cost plus 15% under Sec. 26-129(d)–(e), so you get a quote rather than a price list. The water supply requirement can be met either by dedicating water rights or with the cash payment.
If the home has more than one tap, or a meter larger than 3/4 inch that is not a residential sprinkler tap, the code sends the extra taps to the nonresidential rate. Duplex and multifamily units pay a sewer PIF of $3,230 per unit instead of $4,476.
Changes to watch
- Both plant investment fees were last amended by ordinances adopted February 20, 2024. The code version we read (August 27, 2026) shows no later change.
- The $63,800 per acre-foot cash rate is set in the municipal code. Re-check it before paying, because it moves the total more than any other line.
- We could not reach the Fort Collins Utilities website to cross-check the code against the utility’s own fee pages.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a water tap in Fort Collins?
The water plant investment fee for a single-family home is $914 for the first 3/4-inch tap plus $0.494 per square foot of lot, capped at half an acre. On a 6,000 sq ft lot that is $3,878. The physical tap and meter are billed at cost plus 15%, and the water supply requirement is separate.
What is the Fort Collins water supply requirement?
New development must supply raw water, either by dedicating water rights or by paying cash. The cash rate is $63,800 per acre-foot under Sec. 26-129(c). The quantity assigned to a lot determines the bill.
How much is the sewer tap fee in Fort Collins?
The sewer plant investment fee is $4,476 per single-family dwelling and $3,230 per unit for duplex and multifamily homes. Customers outside city limits pay the same fee plus any sanitation district charges.
Does a big lot mean a bigger water fee in Fort Collins?
Yes, up to a point. The lot charge is $0.494 per square foot, but lots over half an acre are counted as 21,780 sq ft, so the water PIF tops out at $11,673 for a standard 3/4-inch tap.
Is my Fort Collins address served by the city’s water utility?
Not necessarily. Parts of the city are served by the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District or the East Larimer County Water District, which set their own fees. Check your provider before using the city’s numbers.
Related pages
Colorado utility connection costs · Denver Water tap fees · Colorado Springs tap fees · water meter installation cost · tap fee vs impact fee · utility connection cost calculator
Sources
- Municipal Code Sec. 26-128, Schedule C (water plant investment fees), City of Fort Collins. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Municipal Code Sec. 26-129 (Schedule D, water supply requirement; tap and meter charges), City of Fort Collins. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Municipal Code Sec. 26-284 (sewer plant investment fees), City of Fort Collins. Checked Sep 24, 2026.