FY27 Rate and Fee Update
June 23, 2026
Water and Sewer Rates and Fees Update for FY27
Effective July 1, 2026
Effective July 1, 2026, the City of Portsmouth will implement changes to its water and sewer utility rate structure, rates, and fees as part of the adopted Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Budget. These changes are based on recommendations from the City's recent Water and Sewer Rate Study.
Understanding Your Water and Sewer Bill
Water and sewer bills consist of two components:
Monthly Fixed Charge – Based on the size of the property's water meter.
Usage Charge – Based on the amount of water used each month.
Water usage is measured in units, with one unit equal to 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) of water.
What This Means for Customers
A typical residential customer using 5 units of water per month will pay $129.13 per month for combined water and sewer service under FY27 rates.
This represents an increase of $6.78 per month compared to FY26 rates.
For these customers:
The combined water and sewer usage rate will be $22.03 per unit, a decrease of $1.45 per unit from FY26.
The monthly fixed charge will be $18.98, an increase of $14.03 per month from FY26.
The updated rate structure is intended to provide stable funding for the City's water and sewer infrastructure while promoting efficient water use and maintaining affordability for lower-volume customers.
FY27 Tiered Rate Structure
The FY27 structure for water and sewer rates includes three usage tiers:
Monthly Usage | Rate Tier |
0–5 units | Tier 1 |
6–10 units | Tier 2 |
More than 10 units | Tier 3 |
The first tier is intended to reflect an essential level of indoor water and sewer service. This rate structure is designed to more accurately align costs with customer demands on the water and sewer systems, maintain affordability for lower-volume users, and encourage water conservation. Irrigation rates, which are applicable to certified irrigation systems, also have a three-tier structure with units per tier as listed below.
FY27 Water and Sewer Rates per Unit* | |
|---|---|
| Water Rates | |
| Tier 1 (0-5 Units) | $4.56 |
| Tier 2 (6-10 Units) | $6.17 |
| Tier 3 (>10 Units) | $7.61 |
| Sewer Rates | |
| Tier 1 (0-5 Units) | $17.47 |
| Tier 2 (6-10 Units) | $20.03 |
| Tier 3 (>10 Units) | $23.01 |
| Irrigation Rates | |
| Tier 1 (0-10 Units) | $8.91 |
| Tier 2 (11-20 Units) | $14.48 |
| Tier 3 (>20 Units) | $17.27 |
| *1 Unit = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons | |
FY27 Water and Sewer Monthly Fixed Fee | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size of Water Meter (inches) | Water | Sewer |
| 5/8" & 3/4" | $10.94 | $8.04 |
| 1" | $18.23 | $13.40 |
| 1.5" | $36.47 | $26.81 |
| 2" | $58.35 | $42.89 |
| 3" | $127.64 | $93.83 |
| 4" | $218.82 | $160.85 |
| 6" | $492.33 | $361.92 |
| 8" | $583.51 | $428.94 |
| 10" | $1,531.71 | $1,125.97 |