Seattle Public Utilities System Development Charges and Water Tap Costs (2026)
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) provides water, wastewater and drainage service inside Seattle, and since January 1, 2026 it charges system development charges (SDCs) on all three. For a new single-family home with a 3/4-inch meter on a non-arterial street, the 2026 charges come to $14,630 before the drainage charge: a $6,900 water SDC, a $2,600 wastewater SDC, a $4,800 water service installation and a $330 automated meter. The drainage SDC then adds $1,225 for every 1,000 sq ft of new hard surface. The key local caveats are that the wastewater and drainage SDCs are new this year, and taps on arterial streets cost more.
Official fees at a glance
The table below lists every Seattle row we verified. The three SDCs come from SPU’s revised SDC notice effective January 1, 2026. The water and wastewater SDCs are a unit rate multiplied by a “customer equivalent” for the meter size: 1.0 for 3/4 inch and 1.7 for 1 inch. The drainage SDC is priced per 1,000 sq ft of new hard surface. The water service installation and meter rows come from SPU’s Director’s Rule on development charges; where two amounts appear, the lower is for a non-arterial street and the higher for an arterial street.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer — Impact | ||||||||
| Sewer | Impact | Wastewater System Development Charge | 1" | $4,420 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer | Impact | Wastewater System Development Charge | 3/4" | $2,600 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Stormwater — Impact | ||||||||
| Stormwater | Impact | Drainage System Development Charge | — | $1,225 | per sq ft | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Impact | ||||||||
| Water | Impact | Water System Development Charge | 1" | $11,730 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Impact | Water System Development Charge | 3/4" | $6,900 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Meter | ||||||||
| Water | Meter | Automated Meter (AMR) Installation for New Water Services - first AMR, per trip | 3/4" to 2" | $330 | flat fee | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Tap | ||||||||
| Water | Tap | New Water Service Installation Charge - domestic service | 1" | $4,975–$6,350 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Tap | New Water Service Installation Charge - domestic service | 3/4" | $4,800–$6,175 | by meter size | 2026-01-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
Worked example: a new single-family home
Assumptions: a detached home inside Seattle city limits on a vacant lot with no existing service, SPU installing the water service, one automated meter, and 2,000 sq ft of new hard surface (roof, driveway and walks). We did not apply the $1,500 installation discounts described below. Three cases:
Estimated SPU connection charges, 2026 (SDCs effective Jan 1, 2026; Director’s Rule FIN-220.2)
| Charge | A: 3/4″, non-arterial street | B: 3/4″, arterial street | C: 1″, non-arterial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water SDC ($6,900 × customer equivalent) | $6,900 | $6,900 | $11,730 |
| Wastewater SDC ($2,600 × customer equivalent) | $2,600 | $2,600 | $4,420 |
| New water service installation | $4,800 | $6,175 | $4,975 |
| Automated meter (AMR) installation, first meter | $330 | $330 | $330 |
| Drainage SDC (2,000 sq ft × $1,225 per 1,000) | $2,450 | $2,450 | $2,450 |
| Total | $17,080 | $18,455 | $23,905 |
The 1-inch arithmetic: 1.7 × $6,900 = $11,730 and 1.7 × $2,600 = $4,420. Going from a 3/4-inch to a 1-inch meter adds $6,650 to the two SDCs ($4,830 water, $1,820 wastewater) and $175 to the installation, $6,825 in all. An arterial-street installation adds $1,375 at 3/4 inch ($6,175 − $4,800).
SPU’s Director’s Rule FIN-220.2 describes $1,500 discounts on the installation charge in some situations, such as a common trench, a manifold, or contractor-supported work. If case A qualified for one, the total would be $15,580.
What these fees don’t include
SPU’s charges cover capacity, the water service installation and the meter. The water line from the meter to the house, the side sewer (the private sewer line from the house to the public main), excavation on your lot, and the plumbing and side sewer permits are separate, and we did not record those permit fees. National estimates (methodology):
- Water line from meter to house: $30–$150 per foot, typical $50. At 30 feet, about $1,500.
- Side sewer: $50–$250 per foot, typical $100. At 50 feet, about $5,000.
- Street cut or bore, if the sewer main is across the street: $1,000–$10,000, typical $4,000.
- 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
SPU invoices the SDCs, and the invoice date decided which schedule applied at the turn of the year: invoices issued on or before December 31, 2025 carried the old water-only SDC, and invoices from January 1, 2026 carry all three, according to SPU’s 2026 SDC update. The wastewater SDC applies within Seattle city limits and is not charged on irrigation or fire services.
SPU crews install the water service. Each additional automated meter installed on the same trip costs $190 instead of $330, which matters when more than one meter is set at the same visit. SPU also serves some areas outside Seattle; in Burien, installation charges are higher because of a local utility tax.
Changes to watch
- The wastewater and drainage SDCs are new as of January 1, 2026. Projects budgeted from 2025 figures will be short by at least the $2,600 wastewater SDC plus the drainage SDC.
- The rates above took effect January 1, 2026. Check SPU’s SDC page for any newer rates before paying.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new water tap cost in Seattle?
SPU’s new water service installation charge for a 3/4-inch domestic service is $4,800 on a non-arterial street and $6,175 on an arterial street; for 1 inch it is $4,975 and $6,350. The first automated meter is $330.
What is Seattle’s system development charge in 2026?
For a 3/4-inch meter, SPU charges a $6,900 water SDC and a $2,600 wastewater SDC, $9,500 in all, plus a drainage SDC of $1,225 per 1,000 sq ft of new hard surface. A 1-inch meter multiplies the water and wastewater SDCs by 1.7.
Why did Seattle connection fees go up in 2026?
SPU added a wastewater SDC and a drainage SDC on January 1, 2026. Before that, only a water SDC applied, so a new home now pays at least $2,600 more plus the drainage charge.
Do I pay SDCs if I rebuild a house in Seattle?
SPU gives credit for an existing service, and the drainage SDC credits existing hard surface. A rebuild can owe less than a home on a vacant lot, but ask SPU to run the numbers for your permit.
Can the Seattle water service charge be reduced?
SPU’s Director’s Rule describes $1,500 discounts in some cases, such as a common trench, a manifold setup or contractor-supported installation. Ask SPU whether your project qualifies.
Related pages
tap fees by city · Portland SDCs · Sacramento development fees · water meter installation cost · sewer lateral cost · utility connection cost calculator
Sources
- System Development Charge (Revised SDC 1/1/2026), Seattle Public Utilities. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- Director’s Rule FIN-220.2, Development Charges (Rev. 5), Seattle Public Utilities. Checked Sep 24, 2026.