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Rates
Your City of Portland utility bill includes charges that pay for sewer, stormwater, and water services and for flood safety infrastructure. Most rates increase each July 1. This page lists the current rates and explains how we calculate your charges.
Your City of Portland utility bill pays for many important public services. Most of the charges on your bill pay for sewer, stormwater, and drinking water services provided by the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services.
Sewer, stormwater, and water rates cover the costs of:
- Operating and maintaining our sewer, stormwater, and drinking water systems
- Repaying money borrowed to pay the upfront costs of large infrastructure projects
- Constructing, replacing, and improving sewer, stormwater, and drinking water infrastructure
- Complying with regulations and permits
- Providing customer service
Learn more about what your bill pays for
Not all charges on the utility bill go to the Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services.
- The City of Portland collects the Flood Safety Benefit Fee to fund its required payments to the Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District. The fee helps pay for flood safety infrastructure along the Columbia River.
The Portland City Council sets rates and charges each year. Most rates increase each year on July 1, at the start of the City's fiscal year. Annual rate increases cover the rising costs of providing services.
How rates and charges work
A rate is how much we charge "per unit." A "unit" is an amount of something, like one day or 100 cubic feet of water. We set rates based on the costs of providing services.
Charges are the actual amounts billed to a customer. The charges on your bill reflect how much it costs to provide you with sewer, stormwater, water, and other services.
The specific rates and charges on your bill depend on several factors:
- Water use: Water and sewer volume charges are based on how much water you use. Water meters measure water use in ccf, or centum (100) cubic feet. One ccf is 748 gallons.
- Property characteristics: Stormwater charges are based on the developed area of a property (called "stormwater billable area"). For residential properties, we also use the number of dwelling units to calculate some charges.
- Days of service: We calculate some charges based on the number of days in the billing period. We bill most single-family residential customers quarterly, meaning there is an average of 90 days in each billing period.
- Length of billing period: We bill most of our customers quarterly (once every three months). We bill some customers bimonthly (once every two months) or monthly.
- Type of account: Some rates are different for single-family residential, multifamily residential, nonresidential, and mixed-use customers.
If you are enrolled in financial assistance or Clean River Rewards, these programs will affect the total cost of your bill. These discount programs are available to eligible customers and reduce the final amount you must pay.
Water volume charge
What it is: A variable charge based on how much water you used in the billing period. Water meters measure water in ccf. One ccf is 748 gallons. With the volume rate of $8.833 per ccf, 1 gallon costs about a penny.
Rate for July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:
- $8.833 per ccf (100 cubic feet) of water used
Rate for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026:
- $8.171 per ccf of water used
What it pays for: Operating, maintaining, and improving the drinking water system, which includes two water sources, three treatment facilities, over 2,250 miles of pipe, and much more.
Example:
- The typical single-family residential customer uses 5 ccf of water each month, or 15 ccf per quarter. The water volume charges on the average quarterly bill are $132.50 for 15 ccf of water: (5 × 3) × $8.833.
Sewer volume charge
What it is: A variable charge based on water use. Most customers don't have a meter to record how much they put into the sewer system. Instead, a customer's sewer volume charge is related to how much water they use. That's because most of the water a customer uses ends up in the sewer system. Depending on your account type and how much water you use, we may use your winter water use to calculate your sewer charges. Learn more about how we calculate sewer charges.
Rates for July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:
- For residential customers: $14.24 per ccf of water used
- For nonresidential customers: $14.73 per ccf of water used
Rates for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026:
- For residential customers: $13.54 per ccf of water used
- For nonresidential customers: $14.00 per ccf of water used
What it pays for: Operating and maintaining the pipes, pump stations, and wastewater treatment facilities that move and treat wastewater.
Calculating sewer charges from water use
For residential customers: Sewer charges are based on actual water use, winter average, or class average.
- Actual water use: Measured through your water meter. We use this to calculate sewer charges during the winter billing period.
- Winter average: Your average water use during winter billing periods. We use this to calculate sewer charges outside the winter billing periods if your winter average is lower than your actual water use.
- Class average: The average water use for your customer class (for example, single-family home). We use this to calculate charges when no water use history is available. View class average volumes on the full list of rates and charges.
For nonresidential customers: Charges are based on actual water use measured through your water meter, unless you participate in the submeter program.
Calculating the winter average for residential customers
Your winter average is the amount of water you use during your winter review period. Outside of the winter billing period, we calculate your sewer charge using your winter average or your actual water use, whichever is lower.
During colder months, residential customers typically use most of their water indoors. This water flows into the sewer system. During other times of the year, many customers use more water outdoors. Water used to water your garden, for example, doesn't enter the sewer system. Billing you year-round for your winter average means you pay sewer charges for only the water that enters the sewer system.
How we calculate your winter average depends on how long your billing period is.
If your winter water use is very low (1 ccf or less), we calculate your sewer charges using a minimum winter average amount instead.
Quarterly billed accounts (includes most single-family residential homes)
For quarterly billed accounts, we read the water meter every three months. The read for the winter review period happens between February 1 and April 30. The exact timing depends on the account's billing cycle.
To find your winter average:
- Look at your bill and find the water use graph.
- Find the bar on the graph that's labeled FEB, MAR, or APR.
- This bar shows your water use during your winter review period. Look at the "Usage in CCF" numbers on the left of the graph to find your winter average water use.
Example: This customer's winter meter read was in February. The February bar on the graph below shows water use of 3 ccf. This is the customer's winter average water use. For their next three quarterly bills (May, August, and November), we will base their sewer charges on this winter use.
Bimonthly and monthly accounts
For accounts that we bill bimonthly, the water meter is read every two months. For accounts that we bill monthly, we read the water meter every month. For these customers, the winter average is based on all the water meter reads recorded during their winter review period.
The winter review period for these accounts is:
- Bimonthly accounts: January 1 to April 30
- Monthly accounts: December 1 to April 30
To calculate your winter average:
- Find your total winter water use (in ccf) by adding up each meter read recorded during your winter review period.
- Find your total days of service by adding up the days of service on each bill from your winter review period.
- Divide your total winter water use by your total days of service to find your daily average.
- Multiply your daily average by:
- 60 for bimonthly accounts
- 30 for monthly accounts
Monthly billing example:
| Month | Water use (in ccf) | Days of service |
|---|---|---|
| December | 12 | 31 |
| January | 12 | 31 |
| February | 11 | 28 |
| March | 12 | 31 |
| April | 12 | 30 |
| Total | 59 ccf | 151 |
- Add up your winter water use: 12 + 12 + 11 + 12 + 12 = 59 ccf
- Add of your winter days of service: 31 + 31 + 28 + 31 + 30 = 151 days
- Calculate your daily average: 59 ÷ 151 = 0.3907 ccf per day
- Multiply by 30 (for monthly billing): 0.3907 × 30 = 11.7 ccf
- Round to the nearest whole number: 11.7 ccf rounds to 12 ccf
This customer's winter average is 12 ccf. The sewer volume charges on their bills with meter reads from May through November will be based on this winter use.
Minimum winter average billing amounts
If your winter water use is very low (1 ccf or less), we will assign you a winter average based on your account type and billing frequency. We will calculate your sewer charges using this minimum winter average amount.
For single-family residential accounts, the assigned winter averages are:
- Quarterly accounts: 9 ccf per billing period
- Bimonthly accounts: 6 ccf per billing period
- Monthly accounts: 3 ccf per billing period
For multifamily residential accounts, the assigned winter averages are:
- Quarterly accounts: 9 ccf per dwelling unit per billing period
- Bimonthly accounts: 6 ccf per dwelling unit per billing period
- Monthly accounts: 3 ccf per dwelling unit per billing period
Stormwater billable area charge
What it is: A charge based on the developed area of a property, or its "stormwater billable area." Stormwater billable area includes rooftops, patios, driveways, and all kinds of paved surfaces, including porous pavement. Learn more about stormwater billable area.
We divide single-family residential properties into three categories (small, standard, and large). For these customers, the stormwater billable area charge is based on their category assignment. All customers in the same category pay the same charge.
Rates for July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:
- For residential customers: $14.739 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
- For nonresidential customers: $15.037 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
- For residential customers in managed floodplains: $12.352 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
- For nonresidential customers in managed floodplains: $12.607 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
Rates for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026:
- For residential customers: $14.013 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
- For nonresidential customers: $14.300 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
- For residential customers in managed floodplains: $11.747 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
- For nonresidential customers in managed floodplains: $11.990 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
What it pays for: Operating and maintaining storm drains, pipes, ditches, outfalls, natural areas, and green streets that prevent pollution and reduce flooding by collecting and managing rainwater runoff. This charge covers the costs of managing stormwater from individual properties. It also helps pay for the shared systems and stormwater management services that benefit all properties.
Single-family residential categories
We divide residential properties into three categories based on their stormwater billable area. Properties with less stormwater billable area pay less, and those with more pay more.
| Category | Properties included in category* | Stormwater billable area used to calculate charge | Charge per 30 days | Charge per quarterly bill (90 days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 1,500 square feet or less of stormwater billable area | 1,200 square feet | $17.69 ($14.739 × 1.2) | $53.06 ($17.69 × 3) |
| Standard | 1,501 to 2,700 square feet of stormwater billable area | 2,400 square feet | $35.37 ($14.739 × 2.4) | $106.12 ($35.37 × 3) |
| Large | 2,701 square feet or more of stormwater billable area | 3,600 square feet | $53.06 ($14.739 × 3.6) | $159.18 ($53.06 × 3) |
*We may review and periodically update the data used to measure stormwater billable area, the category thresholds, and property assignments to support accuracy, fairness, and administrative efficiency.
When there are three or more individually metered single-family dwellings on one tax lot, we will bill each dwelling for 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area.
If you believe your property should be in a different category, you can ask for a change to your category.
More about stormwater billable area
Stormwater billable area is the developed area of a property, like roofs and pavement. Runoff from these surfaces carries pollution, and these surfaces don't allow water to spread out and soak into the ground as it would if the area were undeveloped.
We use the developed area of your property to calculate your stormwater charges because it reflects the demand your property places on the stormwater system and the benefits it receives from shared stormwater services.
Stormwater billable area includes:
- All rooftops
- Patios
- Driveways and parking areas
- Porous pavement
- Hard pathways, including paths made of flagstone or pavers with gaps
- All other hard surface areas
Stormwater billable area does not include:
- Hard surfaces in the public right-of-way, such as the street, curb, or sidewalk
- Overwater structures, such as floating homes and docks
Stormwater service unit charge
What it is: A charge that helps fund the stormwater system and services that benefit all Portlanders. For most residential customers, service units are based on the number of dwelling units. For nonresidential customers, service units are based on stormwater billable area.
Rate for July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:
- $6.650 per service unit per 30 days
Rate for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026:
- $6.310 per service unit per 30 days
What it pays for: Operating and maintaining storm drains, pipes, ditches, outfalls, natural areas, and green streets that prevent pollution and reduce flooding by collecting and managing rainwater runoff. This charge covers some of the common costs of stormwater management that benefit all Portlanders.
Calculating service units for residential properties
For properties with one or two dwelling units, each dwelling unit equals one stormwater service unit. This includes single-family homes, duplexes, and properties with an accessory dwelling unit (ADU).
- 1 dwelling unit = 1 stormwater service unit
- 2 dwelling units (house and ADU or duplex) = 2 stormwater service units
For customers with one dwelling unit, we calculate the quarterly stormwater service unit charge by multiplying the service unit rate by three:
- $6.650 × 3 = $19.95
For properties with three or more dwelling units or mixed-use properties, each dwelling unit equals 0.65 stormwater service units.
- Each dwelling unit = 0.65 stormwater service units
- Total service units = number of dwelling units × 0.65
- Example for a fourplex: 4 dwelling units × 0.65 = 2.6 stormwater service units
- To calculate the charge for this customer's quarterly (90-day) bill, multiply the number of service units by the service unit rate and then by three: (2.6 × $6.650) × 3 = $51.87
Calculating service units for nonresidential properties
Nonresidential properties include commercial, industrial, institutional, and other properties without dwelling units. For the purposes of calculating stormwater service units, residential floating home communities are considered nonresidential properties.
For these properties, the stormwater service units are based on stormwater billable area. To calculate the stormwater service units, divide a property's total stormwater billable area by 2,400 square feet (the area used to calculate the stormwater billable area charge for single-family homes in the standard category).
Example: The commercial site pictured above has 136,000 square feet of stormwater billable area.
- Total stormwater billable area ÷ 2,400 square feet = stormwater service units
- 136,000 ÷ 2,400 = 56.67 stormwater service units
Portland Harbor Superfund charge
What it is: A charge based on a combination of two rates. One rate is based on billed sewer volume, and the other is based on stormwater billable area.
Rates:
- $0.04 per ccf of billed sewer volume
- $0.19 per 1,000 square feet of stormwater billable area per 30 days
What it pays for: The cleanup of Portland Harbor Superfund site.
Flood Safety Benefit Fee
What it is: A fee the City charges through the utility bill to fund required payments to the Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District. For residential customers, the fee is based on the number of dwelling units. For a single-family home, the charge is $3.60 for a typical 90-day quarterly bill. For nonresidential customers, the fee is a percentage of the total cost of the rest of the bill.
Rates:
- For residential customers: $0.04 per dwelling unit per day
- For nonresidential customers: 0.9% of the total sewer, stormwater, and water bill
What it pays for: Flood safety infrastructure along the Columbia River managed by the Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District.
Examples:
- For a single-family residential customer billed quarterly, the Flood Safety Benefit Fee is $3.60 for a 90-day bill: $0.04 × 90 = $3.60
- For a multifamily residential property with five dwelling units, the fee is $18.00 for a 90-day bill: $0.04 × 5 × 90 = $18.00
Learn more about the Flood Safety Benefit Fee
Base charge
What it is: A per-day charge included on every bill, even if no water is used. The total base charge is about $80.15 per bill, depending on how long the billing period is.
Rates for July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:
- For quarterly billed accounts (billed every 90 days on average): $0.8906 per day
- For bimonthly billed accounts (billed every 60 days on average): $1.3358 per day
- For monthly billed accounts (billed every 30 days on average): $2.6717 per day
Rates for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026:
- For quarterly billed accounts (billed every 90 days on average): $0.8238 per day
- For bimonthly billed accounts (billed every 60 days on average): $1.2357 per day
- For monthly billed accounts (billed every 30 days on average): $2.4713 per day
What it pays for: Fixed costs that are the same for each account, such as reading and inspecting meters, customer service, billing, and collections.
Example:
- Customers who are billed quarterly are billed every 90 days on average, but the exact number of days may vary. If a quarterly customer gets a bill for a 91-day billing period, the base charge on that bill would be $81.04 ($0.8906 × 91) instead of $80.15.
We read single-family residential customers' water meters every three months. If you're one of these customers and chose to receive monthly statements, your base charge is still calculated using the quarterly billing rate. We will divide your total charges, including the base charge, across each monthly statement.
Minimum bill amount
There is a minimum bill amount for sewer, stormwater, and water charges. The minimum amount is equal to half of the base charge for the billing cycle.
For July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, the minimum bill amount for a 90-day quarterly bill is $40.08.
All customers pay at least the minimum amount. Most customers already receive bills over the minimum amount.
Fire protection services charge
What it is: A daily charge for customers with a separate water service for fire protection. The charge is based on the size of the meter.
Rates for July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:
| Meter size | Daily charge |
|---|---|
| ⅝-inch and ¾-inch | $3.0074 |
| 1-inch | $3.2957 |
| 1¼-inch and 1½-inch | $4.0172 |
| 2-inch | $5.5953 |
| 3-inch and larger | $7.6169 |
Rates for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026:
| Meter size | Daily charge |
|---|---|
| ⅝-inch and ¾-inch | $2.7820 |
| 1-inch | $3.0487 |
| 1¼-inch and 1½-inch | $3.7161 |
| 2-inch | $5.1760 |
| 3-inch and larger | $7.0461 |
What it pays for: Fixed costs associated with fire protection water services such as reading, inspecting, and maintaining meters, customer service, and billing.
Discount programs
Financial assistance (bill discount) program
Income-qualified customers enrolled in financial assistance get a discount on each bill. The amount of the discount depends on household income.
- View the discount amounts for water charges
- View the discount amounts for sewer and stormwater charges
Learn more or apply for financial assistance
Clean River Rewards
Clean River Rewards is a discount program for customers who safely manage the rain on their property. The discount may be up to 35 percent of your total stormwater charges.
Water that runs off roofs and other hard surfaces (called stormwater) can pick up pollution on its way to our rivers and streams. Unmanaged stormwater can cause erosion, flooding, sewer backups, and combined sewer overflows. When you manage rain on your property, you keep it out of the sewer and stormwater system and help protect our waterways.
Learn more or apply for Clean River Rewards
Fees for late payments, restoring water service, and blocked meters
Late payment fees
| Days since customer was billed | Action | Fee amount (if any) added to account |
|---|---|---|
| 21 days | Payment is due. | No fee |
| 28 days | Carrying charge added. | 1% of the most recent overdue bill |
| 35 days | Reminder sent to customer and first late fee issued. | $5.00 |
| 42 Days | Pre-shutoff notice or urgent notice issued. | $14.00 |
| 49 days | Last chance notice issued. Only applies to certain accounts. | $35.00 when delivered |
| 56 days | Water shutoff authorized. | $120.00 |
Fees add up over time. Each week you wait to pay on an overdue bill could add more late fees to your account. Fees depend on your account type and how much you owe. If you have trouble paying your bill, contact customer service as soon as possible at PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-7770.
Learn more about our financial assistance options and payment arrangements.
Fees for meter or water service tampering
If your water is shut off for nonpayment, any water use is illegal and will lead to more fees.
- If we find illegal water use at the meter after we shut off water: We will lock your meter, and you will be charged a $160.00 fee.
- If we find more water use after we lock your meter: We will modify or remove your meter to prevent further illegal use. You will be charged an additional $250.00 fee.
- If we find evidence that your water service has been tampered with after we remove your meter: You will be charged a minimum fee of $975.00,and we will crimp (disconnect) or freeze (modify) the water supply line.
Restoring water service
If your water is shut off, contact customer service at PWBCustomerService@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-7770 to restore service.
If your water has been shut off for nonpayment, you must set up a payment arrangement to have your water service restored. If your water has been shut off for nonpayment multiple times in the last 12 months or you used water illegally after a shutoff, you will need to make a payment right away. If you don't follow the payment plan, we will apply late fees to your past-due balances and disconnect your water service.
Fees for restoring service
There is no fee for restoring service during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
If you ask to have your service restored outside of those hours or on a holiday, you will be charged a fee. You will also need to sign a form agreeing to make a payment or set up a payment arrangement within a week. If you do not pay or set a payment plan within a week, we will shut off your water again.
When you ask to have your service restored, we will send someone to turn your water back on the same day.
| Time customer asks for restored service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | No fee |
| Monday–Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | $200.00 |
| Monday–Thursday, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. | $250.00 |
| Monday–Thursday, 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. | No fee. We will wait to respond until after 8 a.m. |
| Friday after 9 p.m., weekends, or holidays | $250.00 |
Obstruction of water meter
Portland City Code requires water meters to be accessible 24 hours a day.
If meter readers have trouble reading your meter, we may charge you a fee. The following could prevent meter readers from accessing your water meter:
- Cars parked over the meter box
- Landscaping, grass, or other plants that cover or obstruct the meter box
- Yard debris, construction materials, or other items stored over the meter box
If your meter is blocked, customer service will put a notice on your door. You must restore access to the meter box immediately.
If you don't restore access within 24 hours, customer service will estimate your bill and add an $84.00 fee.
If the meter is still blocked during the next billing cycle, a crew will remove the obstruction. A vehicle blocking a meter may be towed at the owner's expense.
Estimated bills
Portland City Code authorizes the Water Bureau to issue estimated bills when:
- A water meter does not correctly register water use.
- A meter reader cannot read the water meter. This could happen due to severe weather, something blocking the meter, failure to find the meter, or illegal water use bypassing the meter.
We base estimated bills on the property's past water use.
All rates, charges, fees, and discounts
This page covers the most common rates, charges, and fees on City of Portland utility bills. Some customers may have other charges on their bill.
The Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services also have some fees that are not on the utility bill. These include charges related to permitting and development, like system development charges (SDCs).
- View a full list of Environmental Services rates and charges
- View a full list of Portland Water Bureau rates and charges
- Learn more about the Flood Safety Benefit Fee