Following the first utility rate study since 2004, the County implemented a new rate structure in January 2022 that aligned with the community’s values while also meeting the long-term costs of providing safe, high-quality and reliable water services and the collection and treatment of wastewater.
It is important to note that the new post-2021 rate structure does not generate additional revenue, only the way costs are assessed among customers.
Rates by Customer Class
Different classes of customers will pay different rates based on the different costs which each customer places on the water system. Customers are classified as residential, commercial or multi-family.
ADOPTED RATE STRUCTURE TG = Thousand Gallons
Residential
|
Charge Category
|
Cost Jan. 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022
|
Cost effective July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 |
|
Base Charge (Water)
|
$13.26 / Quarterly
|
$13.76 / Quarterly |
|
Base Charge (Sewer)
|
$10.76 / Quarterly
|
$11.09 / Quarterly |
|
Annual Household Solid Waste Rate
|
$318.61
|
$307.89 |
|
Water Use (Less than 9,000 Gallons)
|
$3.71 / TG
|
$3.98 / TG |
|
Water Use (Greater than 9,000 Gallons)
|
$5.94 / TG
|
$6.38 / TG |
| Sewer Base (per quarter) |
$10.76 |
$11.09 |
|
Sewer Use (capped at winter consumption level)
|
$9.61 / TG
|
$9. 61 / TG |
Multi-Family
|
Charge Category
|
Cost Jan. 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022
|
Cost effective July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 |
|
Base Charge (Water)
|
$9.10 / Month
|
$9.42 / month |
|
Base Charge (Sewer)
|
$7.42 / Month
|
$7.62 / month |
|
Water Use
|
$4.42 / TG
|
$4.73 / TG |
|
Sewer Use
|
$9.61 / TG
|
$9.61 / TG |
Commercial
|
Charge Category
|
Cost Jan. 1, 2022 - June 30, 2022
|
Cost effective July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 |
|
Base Charge (Water)
|
$9.10 / Month
|
$9.42 / month |
|
Base Charge (Sewer)
|
$7.42 / Month
|
$7.62 / month |
|
Water Use
|
$4.79 / TG
|
$5.13 / TG |
|
Sewer Use
|
$9.61 / TG
|
$9.61 / TG |
Fees – All Customers
|
Charge Category
|
|
|
New Account Fee
|
$25.00
|
|
Service Disconnection
|
Free
|
|
Service Reconnection
|
$25.00
|
|
Insufficient Funds Fee
|
$50.00
|
|
Meter Test Fee
|
$75.00
|
Billing Schedule
Residential
- Single-family and duplex homes are billed quarterly for water, sewer, and trash and recycling services.
- Volume-based water and sewer charges are derived from water consumption as determined by a meter reading. You must keep the water meter free of obstruction by cars, landscaping or other objects.
- Your bill may also include charges for service requests such as additional carts, special pickup or leaf mulch/wood chip delivery.
Multifamily and Commercial
- Apartments and commercial businesses are billed monthly for water and sewer services.
- Volume-based water and sewer charges are derived from water consumption as determined by a monthly meter reading. Only County staff is authorized to enter meter vaults.
Base Charge
Customers will pay meter-based charges for water and sewer each billing cycle to recover some of the fixed costs of operating and administering the system. Base charges recover the costs associated with billing, meter reading, collection and customer service. These costs are incurred each billing cycle for each customer regardless of consumption. Arlington is currently the only jurisdiction in the area without a base fee.
Tiered Water Rates (Residential Only)
The implementation of two tiers for residential customers is designed to separate non-discretionary, essential use from elective use by charging a higher rate for higher volume usage. For example, if a residential family uses 12,000 (12TG) of water in a quarter, billing for consumption would be calculated as follows:
$3.71 x 9 TG = $33.39
$5.94 x 3 TG = $17.82
Total volumetric water charges for 12 TG = $51.21
Seasonal Sewer Adjustments (Residential Only)
Currently customers pay for sewer based on the volume of water used. However, this method does not address water that is not returned to the sewer system (e.g., irrigating lawns & gardens). Winter period billing presumes that the amount of measured water consumption in the winter months, when there are few exterior uses, best reflects actual wastewater generation year-round. Using this model, a customer’s sewer generation would be estimated at the lower of their winter water consumption, or their current water consumption.
- Water Rate: $4.91 per 1,000 gallons of metered water consumption.
- Sewer Rate: $9.44 per 1,000 gallons of metered water consumption.
- Refuse Rate (residential accounts only): $318.61 annually, billed quarterly and prorated on a daily basis.
- The rate for activating new water service accounts or reactivation of service due to repair or delinquency is $25.
Note: As part of Arlington's Fiscal Year 2022 budget, the County Board voted to ensure that sufficient revenues are recovered through water and wastewater utility rates and that rate and fee structures are aligned with the County’s financial objectives and the community’s values.
Approval of changes in rates and the rate structures followed an extensive study, with broad public engagement, that began in 2019 and concluded in 2021. Read the rate study final report(PDF, 9MB) .
Pre-January 2022 Rate Structure
Pre-Jan. 1, 2022 rates for water and sewer services were based directly on the number of gallons of water used.
Water usage was measured by a water meter installed adjacent to each residence or business. Sanitary sewer services were charged based on the amount of water used as determined by the water meter readings.
Rate Example
If a residential family uses 15,000 gallons of water in a quarter (which is typical), they would be charged for 15,000 gallons at the current water rate plus 15,000 gallons at the current sewer rate. These charges are detailed on the billing statement.