Charleston Water System Tap & Impact Fees (2026)
Charleston Water System (CWS) provides water and, at most addresses it serves, sewer. For a new single-family home with a 3/4-inch meter in 2026, the charges add up to a $4,620 water impact fee + $6,670 sewer impact fee + $500 water tap fee + $200 sewer tap fee + $70 in account origination fees = $12,060 (CWS tap and impact fees, effective January 1, 2026). Timing is the big variable. CWS raises its impact fees every January 1, and on January 1, 2027 the two impact fees go to $5,115 and $8,160, which adds $1,985 to the same house. The water tap line is the least certain number: CWS lists both a $500 “3/4 inch” tap and a “Full 3/4 inch” tap printed as “$1.200” and does not explain the difference.
Official fees at a glance
CWS separates two kinds of charges. Impact fees buy capacity in the water and sewer systems. Water is priced by meter size, and residential sewer by equivalent residential unit (ERU). Both include a $500 engineering services charge, which CWS waives for qualified affordable housing. Tap fees are small by comparison. The water tap fee covers meter installation. The $200 sewer tap fee (connections up to 6 inches) pays for CWS to inspect a connection your contractor makes. It does not pay for CWS to build it. The one-time account origination fees are $35 each for water and sewer.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer — Account Setup | ||||||||
| Sewer | Account Setup | Sewer Service Origination Fee | — | $35 | flat fee | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer — Impact | ||||||||
| Sewer | Impact | Sewer Impact Fee | — | $6,670 | per equivalent residential unit | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer — Tap | ||||||||
| Sewer | Tap | Sewer Tap Fee | — | $200 | flat fee | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Account Setup | ||||||||
| Water | Account Setup | Water Service Origination Fee | — | $35 | flat fee | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Impact | ||||||||
| Water | Impact | Water Impact Fee | 1" | $7,370 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Impact | Water Impact Fee | 3/4" | $4,620 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Tap | ||||||||
| Water | Tap | 3/4 Inch Tap Fee 3/4 inch tap (first listed) | 3/4" | $500 | by meter size | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 Needs review |
| Water | Tap | Full 3/4 Inch Tap Fee Full 3/4 inch tap | 3/4" | $1,200 | by meter size | — | Official source | 2026-09-24 Needs review |
Worked example: a new single-family home
Assumptions: one detached house with a 3/4-inch meter, one sewer ERU, CWS providing both services, and no affordable-housing waiver. Because the tap fee wording is unclear and the fees step up each January, we show four cases.
Charleston Water System one-time charges for one house (sources: Tap & Impact Fees; Service Fees).
| Charge | A. 2026, $500 tap | B. 2026, “Full” $1,200 tap | C. 2027, $500 tap | D. 2026, 1″ meter, $500 tap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water impact fee | $4,620 | $4,620 | $5,115 | $7,370 |
| Sewer impact fee (1 ERU) | $6,670 | $6,670 | $8,160 | $6,670 |
| Water tap fee (3/4″) | $500 | $1,200* | $500 | see note |
| Sewer tap fee (inspection) | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 |
| Water + sewer origination | $70 | $70 | $70 | $70 |
| Total | $12,060 | $12,760 | $14,045 | $14,310 + 1″ tap |
* Published as “$1.200,” read as $1,200. Needs review. Case C assumes 2026 tap and origination fees stay the same in 2027. The page publishes future steps only for the impact fees.
The arithmetic: A is $4,620 + $6,670 + $500 + $200 + $70 = $12,060. B swaps in the $1,200 tap: $12,760. C uses the 2027 impact fees: $5,115 + $8,160 + $500 + $200 + $70 = $14,045. D uses the 1-inch water impact fee: $7,370 + $6,670 + $200 + $70 = $14,310, before a 1-inch tap fee, which is printed in the same ambiguous format as the “Full” 3/4-inch fee. In 2027 the 1-inch water impact fee becomes $8,190.
A qualified affordable-housing project saves the $500 engineering charge on each impact fee, $1,000 in all, so case A would fall to $11,060.
What these fees don’t include
CWS’s sewer tap fee is an inspection fee, so in Charleston the sewer connection itself is contractor work, not a utility service. Budget for it with the rest of the private work:
- Sewer lateral and connection: $50 to $250 per foot, about $100 typical (national estimate).
- Water service line from meter to house: $30 to $150 per foot, about $50 typical (national estimate).
- Trenching: $4 to $15 per foot in normal soil (national estimate).
- Street cut or bore if the main is across the street: $1,000 to $10,000 per crossing, about $4,000 typical (national estimate).
- Plumbing permit: $100 to $1,300, about $300 typical (national estimate).
A lot with 50 feet to the sewer main and 50 feet of water line would carry about 50 × $100 = $5,000 plus 50 × $50 = $2,500 in typical private work, before trenching. These figures come from our national benchmark set. Build the full number:
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
How and when you pay
- CWS installs the water meter. That is what the water tap fee covers.
- Your contractor makes the sewer connection, and CWS inspects it for the $200 sewer tap fee (up to 6 inches). An 8-inch connection costs $700 or actual cost, whichever is greater.
- Opening the accounts costs $35 for water and $35 for sewer, one-time and non-refundable.
- Not every address that gets CWS water gets CWS sewer. CWS notes that other agencies provide sewer in some areas. If yours does, the sewer impact and tap fees above do not apply, and that agency’s schedule does.
Changes to watch
Scheduled: on January 1, 2027, the 3/4-inch water impact fee rises from $4,620 to $5,115 (+$495), the sewer impact fee from $6,670 to $8,160 per ERU (+$1,490), and the 1-inch water impact fee from $7,370 to $8,190 (+$820). Unresolved: the “3/4 inch” ($500) versus “Full 3/4 inch” ($1,200 as read) tap fee distinction. Until CWS explains which one applies to new construction, budget for the higher amount.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Charleston Water System impact fees in 2026?
For a single-family home with a 3/4-inch meter, the 2026 water impact fee is $4,620 and the sewer impact fee is $6,670 per ERU, $11,290 together. Both include a $500 engineering charge.
When do Charleston water and sewer impact fees go up?
CWS steps its impact fees up each January 1. On January 1, 2027 the 3/4-inch water fee becomes $5,115 and the sewer fee $8,160, so the pair rises from $11,290 to $13,275.
What does the Charleston sewer tap fee cover?
The $200 sewer tap fee pays for CWS to inspect a connection your contractor makes (up to 6 inches). The physical connection and lateral are the owner’s cost.
Is there a discount for affordable housing?
Yes. CWS waives the $500 engineering services charge built into each impact fee for qualified affordable housing, which saves $1,000 on a home with both water and sewer.
What is the difference between the 3/4-inch and Full 3/4-inch tap fee?
CWS lists both, at $500 and at an amount printed “$1.200”, without defining them. Ask CWS which applies before budgeting. The difference is $700.
Related pages
Compare Charleston with Charlotte, Raleigh and Nashville, or see the national tap fees by city table. Related guides: tap fee vs. impact fee, sewer lateral cost, water meter installation cost and the utility connection cost calculator.
Sources
- Tap & Impact Fees (2026 schedule, with January 1, 2027 step), Charleston Water System. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Service Fees, Charleston Water System. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- National cost estimates: Utility Cost Guide benchmark methodology.