Berkeley water and sewer rates
Who supplies water to Berkeley houses, what it costs, and how the sewer charge works.
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
EBMUD rates effective July 1, 2026: a $28.60 monthly service charge for a 5/8 or 3/4 inch meter ($57.20 on a bimonthly bill) plus $8.40 per unit (CCF) for the first 7 units a month, $9.74 from 7 to 16 units and $11.49 above 16 units. Homes in Elevation Bands 2 and 3 pay an elevation surcharge of $1.33 or $2.84 per unit
| Use a month | Price per unit (CCF, 748 gallons) |
|---|---|
| Fixed charge | $28.60 a month |
| 0 to 7 units | $8.40 |
| 7 to 16 units | $9.74 |
| 16 to more | $11.49 |
- Source
- EBMUD's main supply is snow and rain in the Mokelumne River watershed in the Sierra Nevada, carried 90 miles by aqueduct to East Bay treatment plants and reservoirs.
- Lead
- EBMUD says its treatment plants supply no lead; in its tap sampling, 0 of 53 sites were above the lead action level.
- PFAS
- EBMUD has finished its initial PFAS monitoring under the new rules, and all results so far have met the standards.
Sewer
The City of Berkeley charges sewer service fees, added to the EBMUD water bill: for a single-family home, $7.14 per water unit with a bi-monthly billing cap of $185.64 (rates effective July 1, 2019). EBMUD provides wastewater treatment services for Berkeley.
Ways to pay less
- Low-income households: EBMUD Customer Assistance Program. Eligible single-family customers can get 50% off the standard bimonthly water service charge and 50% off home water use (up to 1,050 gallons per person a month), plus 35% off EBMUD wastewater charges. A household of 1-2 qualifies with income of $67,900 or less. Enrollment lasts up to two years. How: Apply online through EBMUD's CAP application, or pick one up at EBMUD's Customer Information Desk, 375 11th St., Oakland.
- EBMUD lawn conversion rebate. EBMUD pays up to $2.00 per square foot to convert a lawn to a water-wise garden; landscape rebates for a home are capped at $2,000 in any 24-month period. How: Apply through EBMUD's rebates page.
Pay or manage it
Sources
- www.berkeleyca.gov sewers
- www.berkeleyca.gov Sewer-Service-Fees.pdf
- berkeleyca.gov 2026-07-14 Item 12 Clean Stormwater Fee
Checked October 22, 2026. Every number here comes from the public sources listed, matched by our checker.
Rates change every year; this page shows when it was last checked. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.