Chattanooga Water & Sewer Tap Fees (2026)
Inside Chattanooga, water comes from Tennessee American Water, a private utility regulated by the Tennessee Public Utility Commission, and sewer service comes from the City of Chattanooga’s Wastewater Department. Neither one charges a tap, capacity or impact fee on a new single-family home. The official charges we found come to $155: Tennessee American Water’s $25 New Service Fee (TPUC No. 20 tariff, effective Jan. 21, 2025), plus $130 in city plumbing permit items: a $40 permit issuance fee, $70 for the sanitary sewer connection and $20 for the building sewer (City Code Sec. 27-3). The caveat that matters most is the sewer lateral. City Code Sec. 31-4 charges nothing to connect to a 4-inch lateral, but it charges $800 for a 6-inch or larger lateral the city has provided. The plumbing fee schedule lists the same $800 for “each Lateral Sewer Connection provided” with no size limit, so ask the city which rule it applies to your lot.
Chattanooga tap and connection charges at a glance
Water rows come from Tennessee American Water’s TPUC No. 20 tariff, the compliance filing submitted in January 2025 in commission Docket 24-00032 and effective January 21, 2025. Sewer and permit rows come from Chattanooga’s Code of Ordinances, Chapters 27 (Plumbing) and 31 (Sewers), codified through June 16, 2026. The $0 rows are intentional: Tennessee American Water installs the service pipe to the curb and the meter at its own cost (tariff Rules 2(f), 6.5 and 8.2), and the city code says connecting to a 4-inch lateral is free. Rows marked as not typical apply only in some situations, such as a lot that needs a new water main or a city-provided 6-inch lateral.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General — Permit | ||||||||
| General | Permit | Plumbing permit issuance fee | — | $40 | flat fee | — | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| General | Permit | Plumbing permit item: each plumbing fixture, floor drain or trap | — | $6 | per fixture unit | — | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Sewer — Connection | ||||||||
| Sewer | Connection | Sewer connection fee, 4-inch service lateral | — | $0 | flat fee | — | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Sewer — Permit | ||||||||
| Sewer | Permit | Plumbing permit item: Building sewer | — | $20 | per unit | — | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Sewer | Permit | Plumbing permit item: Sanitary Sewer Connection | — | $70 | per unit | — | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Sewer — Service Line | ||||||||
| Sewer | Service Line | Sewer service line charge (6-inch or larger lateral provided by the City) | — | $800 | flat fee | — | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Water — Account Setup | ||||||||
| Water | Account Setup | New Service Fee | — | $25 | flat fee | 2025-01-21 | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Water — Main Extension | ||||||||
| Water | Main Extension | Extension of Distribution Mains (deposit beyond free footage) | — | See formula | formula | 2025-01-21 | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Water — Meter Set | ||||||||
| Water | Meter Set | Water meter (furnished and installed by Tennessee American Water) | — | $0 | flat fee | 2025-01-21 | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
| Water — Tap | ||||||||
| Water | Tap | Water tap / Company Service Pipe and meter (installed at Company cost; no tariff charge) | — | $0 | flat fee | 2025-01-21 | Official source | 2026-09-25 |
What a new Chattanooga house pays: worked example
Assumptions: a detached house inside Chattanooga city limits, on a street that already has a Tennessee American Water main and a city sewer main, with a 4-inch sewer lateral stubbed to the lot. The house has one building sewer and 15 plumbing fixtures. Tennessee American Water sets the meter size (tariff Rule 8.3). Its tariff has no meter-size fee, so the size does not change these totals.
One-time official charges for one new Chattanooga home, by case. Sources: Tennessee American Water tariff TPUC No. 20, City Code Sec. 31-4, City Code Sec. 27-3. Private line construction not included.
| Case | Water | Sewer connection | Plumbing permit items | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-inch lateral, connection items only | $25 | $0 | $40 + $70 + $20 | $155 |
| Same, with 15 fixtures on the permit | $25 | $0 | $130 + 15 × $6 | $245 |
| City-provided lateral charged at $800 | $25 | $800 | $130 + $90 | $1,045 |
The arithmetic for the first row is $25 + $40 + $70 + $20 = $155. The fixture line adds $6 per fixture, floor drain or trap, so 15 fixtures add $90. The third row applies if the city charges its $800 lateral fee. Under Sec. 31-4(d) that happens when the city provided a 6-inch or larger lateral. The fee does not apply when a subdivision developer built and paid for the lateral or when no lateral was provided. It sits on top of the plumbing permit and any street cut fee.
Chattanooga vs. Knoxville and Nashville
Chattanooga’s official connection charges are far lower than those in Knoxville and Nashville. In Knoxville, KUB’s published minimums are a $1,000 water tap for a 5/8-inch meter and a $1,700 wastewater tap, or $2,700 in total (see our Knoxville tap fee page). Nashville’s Metro Water Services charges a $500 water tap, $360 sewer connection and capacity charges of $1,375 (water) and $2,300 (sewer), for $4,535 at one capacity unit (Nashville tap fees). Against Chattanooga’s $155, that is $2,545 less than Knoxville and $4,380 less than Nashville. The reason: Tennessee American Water installs the pipe from the main to the curb and the meter at its own cost (tariff Rules 2(f), 6.5 and 8.2), and the city has no sewer capacity charge. The real cost shifts to the private lines you build.
What is not included in Chattanooga fees
Low fees don’t make the hookup cheap, because the owner pays for most of the pipe. Under tariff Rule 6.8, you install your own service pipe to the curb or property line at a point Tennessee American Water approves, and the company then connects it to the main. The customer’s service pipe is installed “at the cost and expense of the Customer” (tariff definitions). On the sewer side, the plumbing contractor must find the stub-out and dig down to expose the city sewer for any new tap. City crews make the tap itself (Sec. 31-4(f)–(g)). Typical costs:
- Water service line from the curb to the house: $30 to $150 per foot, about $50 typical, installed including the trench (national estimate).
- Sewer lateral: $50 to $250 per foot, about $100 typical, installed including the trench (national estimate).
- Street cut or bore if a line must cross the road: $1,000 to $10,000 per crossing, about $4,000 typical (national estimate).
A 60-foot water line at $50 a foot ($3,000) and a 60-foot lateral at $100 a foot ($6,000) add about $9,000, roughly 58 times the $155 in official fees. These figures come from our national benchmark set. See water service line cost, sewer lateral cost and utility extension cost, or model your own lot here:
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
When you pay Chattanooga connection fees
- Sewer permit first. Before connecting, the owner or agent must get a permit from the building official, and a licensed master plumber must sign it (Sec. 31-6). A city inspector must approve the connection before it is used. A connection made without a permit costs double the regular permit fee.
- Connection is mandatory. A building with plumbing whose lot abuts a street or easement with a city sewer within 100 feet of the property line is considered served. A new building cannot be occupied until it is connected (Sec. 31-2).
- Water service. Apply to Tennessee American Water, which may charge the $25 New Service Fee at a location with no prior service. That fee includes the $25 Activity Fee for turning on or setting the meter.
- If the street has no water main. Tariff Rule 23 extends mains up to 100 feet per applicant at no cost. Beyond that, the applicant deposits the estimated cost minus a 100-foot credit per customer. The deposit is refundable over 10 years as new customers connect. Developers can instead choose Rule 23.7, which makes an extension free when its cost is no more than 40% of three years’ expected revenue.
- Who serves you. Outside city limits in unincorporated Hamilton County, sewer is usually handled by the Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA), and these city rules do not apply. We could not open WWTA’s rules to check its connection charges.
Chattanooga fee changes to watch
Tennessee American Water’s rate case, Docket 24-00032, set the current miscellaneous fees. The commission’s January 21, 2025 decision raised the Activity Fee from $15 to $25 and approved higher disconnect-reconnect and after-hours charges. The figures on this page come from the company’s compliance tariff filed January 27, 2025 (effective January 21, 2025), which the commission acknowledged in August 2025. The docket is still open: the company’s November 2025 petition to recover its rate case expenses is under a procedural schedule set in August 2026, with testimony filed in September 2026. Check the current tariff before you budget. Chattanooga’s sewer user rates change each fiscal year by ordinance. The connection provisions in Sec. 31-4 and the plumbing fee schedule, last amended in December 2022, have no scheduled changes we could find.
Chattanooga tap fee FAQ
How much are water and sewer tap fees in Chattanooga, TN?
There is no traditional tap fee on either side. Tennessee American Water charges a $25 New Service Fee, and the city charges nothing to connect to a 4-inch sewer lateral. With the $40 plumbing permit, $70 sewer connection item and $20 building sewer item, the official total is $155, or $245 with 15 fixtures on the permit.
Does Chattanooga charge a sewer capacity or impact fee?
We found none. Chapter 31 of the city code, which covers sewer service charges and connections, lists monthly user charges, industrial fees and the $800 service line charge for 6-inch or larger City-provided laterals, but no capacity or impact fee.
Who do I pay for sewer in Chattanooga, the city or WWTA?
Inside city limits, the City of Chattanooga. Its Wastewater Department runs the sewer system and the Moccasin Bend treatment plant, and connection permits go through the city’s building official. The Hamilton County WWTA serves much of unincorporated Hamilton County and sets its own rules and rates.
Does Tennessee American Water charge for a new meter?
Not separately. Its tariff says the company furnishes, installs and maintains all meters except fire service meters, and it installs the service pipe from the main to the curb cock or meter setting at its own cost. You pay for the pipe from that point to the house.
What does it cost if my street has no water main?
Tennessee American Water extends up to 100 feet of main per applicant for free. For longer runs, you deposit the estimated cost minus that credit, and the company refunds the equivalent of 100 feet of main for each new customer who connects within 10 years.
More on Chattanooga and nearby cities
Compare Chattanooga with Knoxville, Nashville, Murfreesboro and Spring Hill, or see the full tap fees by city table. Related guides: tap fee vs. impact fee, water tap fee, sewer tap fee and the utility connection cost calculator.
Chattanooga fee sources
- Tennessee-American Water Company compliance tariffs, TPUC No. 20 (effective Jan. 21, 2025), TPUC Docket 24-00032, Tennessee Public Utility Commission. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Commission acknowledgment of Tennessee American Water tariff filing (Aug. 21, 2025), Tennessee Public Utility Commission. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Chattanooga City Code Ch. 31, Secs. 31-2, 31-4 and 31-6 (Sewers, Mains and Drainage), City of Chattanooga. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Chattanooga City Code Sec. 27-3, Plumbing Code fee schedule (106.6.2), City of Chattanooga. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Wastewater Department, City of Chattanooga. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- Schedule of Wastewater Rates, Oct. 1, 2026, Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority. Checked Sep 25, 2026.
- National cost estimates: Utility Cost Guide benchmark methodology.