Oakland water and sewer rates
Who supplies water to Oakland 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 Oakland's Sewer Service Charge is a City charge that EBMUD bills and collects on its water bill; EBMUD's 2025 rate materials put the Oakland community collection charge at $555.60 a year. EBMUD treats Oakland's wastewater: from July 1, 2026 its residential charges are a $10.94 monthly service charge, an $11.38 monthly strength charge per dwelling and $1.97 per unit of water up to 9 units, plus a $0.20 monthly San Francisco Bay pollution prevention fee per dwelling for residential accounts with four or fewer dwellings. EBMUD's wet weather facilities charge is collected on the property tax bill.
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. The City of Oakland's Customer Assistance Program, maintained by EBMUD, gives low-income homeowners a 35 percent discount on the City's Sewer Services Charge. 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
- City of Oakland report: sewer charge billing and collection agreement with EBMUD (2023)
- EBMUD Schedule A: water rates effective July 1, 2026
- EBMUD schedules of rates and charges FY 2027 (water and wastewater)
- EBMUD wastewater rates and charges
- EBMUD 2025 Annual Water Quality Report
Checked October 21, 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.