Your water bill includes charges for water service and usage, fire protection, sewer usage, and more. Each charge helps support the delivery, maintenance, and reliability of Wauwatosa’s water system.
Local water rates and proposed rate increases must be approved by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.
Water Service
This is a fixed charge based on the size of the water meter at your property. It helps cover the cost of providing and maintaining water service.
Water Usage
This charge is based on the amount of water used at your property. Water usage is measured through quarterly meter readings.
Public Fire Protection
This fixed charge helps support the water system and infrastructure needed to provide water for firefighting.
The charge helps cover a portion of the cost of:
- Water pumps
- Water storage facilities
- Water mains
- Fire hydrants
- The estimated amount of water used for firefighting
The charge is based on the size of the water meter at your property.
Private Fire Protection
This charge applies only to properties with an unmetered connection to the water main that supplies a private fire protection system, such as a sprinkler system or private fire hydrant.
Local Sewer Usage
Local sewer charges help maintain Wauwatosa’s sanitary sewer system. Rates are set by the City of Wauwatosa. For most residential properties, the charge is based on water use during the previous winter billing period.
We use winter water because some water used during warmer months does not enter the sanitary sewer system. For example, water used for lawns, gardens, car washing, or swimming pools may be absorbed into the ground or flow into the storm sewer.
Your winter water usage is used to calculate your residential sewer charge for the following year.
If you had a water leak during your winter billing period and have repaired it, contact the Water Utility to review your account. You should also contact us if the number of people living in your household has decreased.
New customers without a previous winter water-use history are assigned a default sewer usage:
- Single-family homes: 12 CCF
- Duplexes: 20 CCF
If your water usage is lower than the default amount, contact the Water Utility at [email protected]
Wauwatosa has three residential billing districts. Your billing schedule determines which winter billing period is used to calculate your sewer usage.
| District | Quarterly billing dates | Sewer usage resets |
|---|---|---|
| District 1 | March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1 | March 1 |
| District 2 | January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 | April 1 |
| District 3 | February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 | February 1 |
MMSD Charges
MMSD charges help fund wastewater treatment and regional sewer services. Your bill may include:
- Sewer Usage: A charge based on water use that helps cover wastewater treatment.
- Sewer Connection: A fixed charge for connecting to the regional sanitary sewer system.
Stormwater Charge
The stormwater charge helps maintain Wauwatosa’s storm sewer system. The charge is based on the amount of impervious surface on a property, such as roofs, driveways, parking areas, and other paved surfaces.