Are you building a new home or business and need a connection to CPWS’ dependable water system? Connections are subject to the rules and regulations adopted by the City of Columbia’s Board of Public Utilities.
CPWS desires to meet the needs of our community as efficiently and effectively as possible. We must also ensure that our fees cover our costs. To meet these goals, CPWS is making changes to our New Water Service Request Process and New Water Service Fees.
The figure and table below present the New Water Service Request Process and the New Water Service Fees.
Navigating the New Water Service Request Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
The flow chart shows each step of the new process, who is responsible for each step, and when each fee will be paid. To begin the process, simply contact CPWS as you normally do, and our capable staff will walk you through the process. This process will improve our effectiveness as we strive to serve our community.
Fee Structures
The Developer Fee table below presents the new fee structure associated with new water service requests. You will notice 4 separate fees. Each fee is intended to recover costs as CPWS incurs them. This structure will also prevent new service applicants from paying for fees before they are needed. Also, as you can see from meter fees in the table, CPWS will not be using 5/8” meters for residential service from this time forward.
New Water Services Fees
| Rate Class | * SFU- single family unit equivalent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees | Residential (3 lots or less) | Residential (4 lots or larger) | All Commercial | |
| Application Fee | $0 | $1,750 | $1,750 | |
| New Water Service Fees | $300 plus $440 per *SFU | $1,750 plus $440 per *SFU | $1,750 plus $440 per *SFU | |
| Meter Fee | $1,000 per 3/4" meter $1,280 per 1" meter | $540 per 3/4" meter $710 per 1" meter | Furnished by Customer | |
| Impact Fees | See Schedule Below | See Schedule Below | See Schedule below |
Impact Fee Schedule
| Meter Size (IN) | July 1, 2026 Impact Fee | *Projected 2027 Impact Fee | *Projected 2028 Impact Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 | $6,000 | $6,500 | $7,000 |
| 1 | $10,000 | $10,833 | $11,667 |
| 2 | $32,000 | $34,667 | $37,333 |
| 3 | $100,000 | $108,333 | $116,667 |
| 4 | $200,000 | $216,667 | $233,333 |
| 6 | $500,000 | $541,667 | $583,333 |
| 8 | $1,000,000 | $1,083,333 | $1,166,667 |
| 10 | $1,720,000 | $1,863,333 | $2,006,667 |
| *Subject to Change |
These changes went into effect on October 1, 2024. If you wish to speak to a CPWS representative regarding specific questions you might have, please call us at (931) 388-4833.
Developer & Engineer Information
The information contained here is intended to assist property owners, developers, and engineers in determining whether adequate water supply is available to serve your project and whether any off-site improvements may be required. Below is a flow chart that depicts the process that must be followed:
