Keeping the taps running, showers steaming, and gardens green costs the typical U.S. household about $43 a month, although we see bills as low as $19 and as high as $106 depending on where you live.
You can expect to fall below that average if you’re in a smaller apartment or live alone, but add a few extra residents, a thirsty lawn, or a backyard pool, and your monthly total can shoot well past it.
This article draws data from every state in the country, so you can get a more accurate picture of the water bill costs in your area.
Cost by location
Water isn’t priced the same coast to coast. On the high end, West Virginia, Oregon, and California consistently land among the country’s most expensive water bills, while Vermont, Wisconsin, and North Carolina sit at the other end of the scale, often hovering around $20 a month for a typical household.
Check the map above for the average monthly water bill for a family of four in each state.
P.S.: A bargain water rate doesn’t guarantee an overall bargain on utilities. In Hawaii, for instance, the average water bill is in the middle of the range (around $69), yet residents pay roughly 225% more for natural gas than the national average.
Cost per gallon
The EPA estimates that the national average price of water in the U.S. is about 3 cents per 10 gallons. Prices swing by state and city, but this figure lets you ballpark what day-to-day use costs.
Local rates can be higher or lower than the national average, so pull out your most recent utility bill or check your city’s website, so you can get a better estimate of your water bill based on the number of gallons used.
Here’s a snapshot of a few cities across the country and the cost per water gallon in each one of them:
| City | Average Cost Per Gallon of Water |
| Northeast U.S. | |
| Pawtucket, RI | $0.0053 – $0.0057 |
| New York, NY | $0.0065 |
| Southeast U.S. | |
| Dothan, AL | $0.0028 – $0.0047 |
| Orlando, FL | $0.0008 – $0.0135 |
| Atlanta, GA | $0.0034 – $0.0082 |
| Midwest U.S. | |
| South Bend, IN | $0.0036 |
| Chicago, IL | $0.0049 |
| Northwest U.S. | |
| Corvallis, OR | $0.0033 – $0.0060 |
| Seattle, WA | $0.0077 – $0.0158 |
| Southwest U.S. | |
| Roswell, NM | $0.0083 – $0.0092 |
| San Diego, CA | $0.0098 – $0.0139 |
Tip: Many cities use tiered pricing to encourage conservation. For example, the rate for using up to 3,000 gallons in a month can be half of what you’ll pay once your meter tops 30,000 gallons. That means that modest-use households stay in the bargain tier, while heavy users slide into pricier brackets, paying more per gallon.
Factors that affect cost
Here are a few other factors that will affect your final water bill:
Household size
Water use scales almost line-for-line with the number of people under one roof. A single person averages 80 to 100 gallons per day nationally. So, multiply that by each extra resident, and the gallons (and dollars) add up fast.
A typical family of four goes through 300 to 400 gallons a day between showers, dishes, laundry, and lawn watering, so bigger households should expect to pay more for water.
Water usage
The equation is simple: Every extra gallon down the drain bumps your bill. Shrinking daily use is the easiest way to shrink monthly costs, and most fixes are easier than you might think:
- Shorten showers by a few minutes: Cutting just two minutes per person can save dozens of gallons a day.
- Fix leaks fast: A faucet dripping can waste more water per year than you imagine.
- Reprogram lawn sprinklers: Most turf needs a deep soak twice a week, not a light mist every morning. Moreover, check your rain sensors to see if they’re working properly.
- Upgrade your appliances: Certified Energy-Star appliances, such as washers, dishwashers, and low-flow fixtures, can help you save water without sacrificing performance.
Seasonal spikes
Don’t be surprised if your water bill looks lower in January than in July. Even when the rate per gallon stays the same, most households draw far more water in the warm months (think irrigation, garden upkeep, car washing, and keeping the pool topped off).
Some utilities might also tack on a surcharge or a higher tier threshold to cover the extra strain on the system.
Come winter, sprinklers are off, pools are covered, and shorter showers feel natural, so total consumption drops and bills follow suit.
Conservation and drought surcharges
Many utilities layer conservation surcharges onto their pricing: Once your monthly use climbs past a set block, say 3,000 gallons, every additional gallon costs more than the one before it. The goal is to reward low-to-moderate users and nudge high-volume households to cut back.
Some of these surcharges are temporary, activated only during droughts or supply shortages and rolled back once reservoirs recover. Others are used in the year-round pricing structure.
Sewer bill
Your water bill tells only half the story. The sewer charge covers everything that happens after the water swirls down the drain. That fee pays for maintaining pipes, pumping stations, and treatment plants.
In many cities, the sewer rate is pegged to how much water you use, so the more you run the tap, the more you’ll pay to have that water carried away and treated.
Nationwide, the typical residential sewer bill averages around $65 per month, though prices vary a lot.
Water-wise and wallet-friendly
If your summer sprinkler schedule is soaking both your lawn and your budget, it may be time to bring in some expert help. A lawn care pro can fine-tune mowing heights, calibrate your irrigation system, and help care for your lawn the best way while using fewer gallons of water.
Read More:
- – Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Ideas
- – Best Ways to Water During a Drought
- – How to Prepare Your Lawn for Drought
- – What to Know About Outdoor Watering Restrictions
Main Image: Man holding water bill in a hand. Image Credit: Daniel Krasoń / Adobe Stock
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