Water & Sewer Rates for Fiscal Years Ending 2027-28

The SFPUC is committed to a transparent, public rate setting process guided by the principles set in Ratepayer Assurance Policy and as required by state law.

The SFPUC is required to undertake independent rate studies at least every five years to ensure the rates customers are charged reflect the true cost of providing our services. The last rate study for water and sewer rates was completed in 2023.

Independent rate analysts recommended water and sewer rate increases for the fiscal years ending 2027-2028 to address operating and capital improvement needs. The new rates schedule represents a combined monthly bill increase for the average San Francisco residential household of $21 and $23 in fiscal years 2027 and 2028 respectively. Those increases amount to approximately 12.6% and 12.5% per year and is effective July 1, 2026.

The rate study findings provided the basis for our rate proposal, which goes through an extensive review and public approval process. 

Rate Fairness Board

Since 2002, the Rate Fairness Board has been reviewing and advising us on rate matters. This group consists of appointed members including local residents and business owners. These meeting are held throughout the year in-person and remotely by teleconference.  For instructions on how to join the Rate Fairness Board meeting remotely and make comments, please refer to the agenda for each meeting.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission consists of five members, nominated by the Mayor and approved by the Board of Supervisors. Their responsibility is to provide operational oversight in areas such as rates and charges for services, approval of contracts, and organizational policy.

Our Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, unless otherwise noted on the agenda schedule. For instructions on how to join the SFPUC Commission meeting remotely and make comment, please refer to the agenda for each meeting.

Public Hearing, Protest and Projection Procedures

On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the regular San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (Commission) meeting, the Commission held a public hearing on the proposed changes to the water and sewer rates in San Francisco City Hall, Room 400, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, California, 94102.  

Public Comment and Participation: The SFPUC Commission heard oral comments and consider all Protests and Objections submitted under the Protest and Separate Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies Procedures at the hearing. Additionally, the Commission heard staff responses to Objections at the public hearing. Oral comments at the public hearing were recorded in the public record of the hearing but will not be counted as a Protest or Objection. Only written Protests and written Objections are counted as formal Protests under Proposition 218. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Commission adopted the proposed water and sewer rates described in the Proposition 218 Notice. The Commission may impose the rates if timely written Protests are not submitted by property owners or customers of record on behalf of a majority of the parcels affected by the proposed changes.  

Protest Procedure (Cal. Const., art. XIII D, § 6(a)): The owner of record of any parcel upon which the water and sewer rates were proposed for imposition, or a customer of record who was not the property owner (e.g., a tenant), was permitted to submit a written Protest to one or more proposed rate changes (“Protest”); however, only one Protest was counted per identified parcel. Any written Protest was required to: (1) state that the identified property owner or customer was in opposition to the proposed rate increase; (2) provide the location of the identified parcel (by assessor’s parcel number, street address, or customer account); and (3) include the name and signature of the person submitting the Protest. If a party was protesting one or more proposed rate changes, the party was encouraged to identify the rate or rates being protested. Although oral comments at the public hearing did not qualify as a formal Protest unless accompanied by a written Protest, the SFPUC welcomed input from the community during the public hearing on the proposed water and sewer rates. All Protests were required to be received by the SFPUC prior to the conclusion of the public comment portion of the public hearing on April 28, 2026. 

Separate Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies Procedure    

(Gov. Code § 53759.1): The owner of record of any parcel upon which the water and sewer rates are proposed for imposition, or a customer of record who is not the property owner (e.g., a tenant), may submit a written Objection (“Objection”) to the Commission.    

Any Objection must: (1) stated the specific rate change for which the Objection was being submitted; (2) provided the location of the identified parcel (by customer account number, street address, or assessor’s parcel number); (3) included the name of the party submitting the Objection; (4) indicated that the submission was an Objection; and (5) specified the grounds for alleging the SFPUC’s noncompliance with Proposition 218. The specified grounds were required to be sufficiently detailed to allow the SFPUC to determine whether alterations to the proposed rate change might have been needed. By way of example, an Objection stating that a proposed rate change violated Proposition 218, without providing detail explaining the basis for this claim, was insufficient. Objections were required to be received by mail or hand delivered no later than 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Failure to timely submit an Objection barred any right to challenge the fee or charge through a legal proceeding. All timely Objections received were also counted as Protests. Any Objection received later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026, and before the close of the public comment portion of the public hearing was only considered and counted as a Protest and not an Objection.

Objections and Protests mailed to:
SFPUC
ATTN: Director of Commission Affairs
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 13th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102

Objections could also be hand-delivered to the Customer Service Bureau at 525 Golden Gate Avenue, 1st Floor, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding legal holidays. Hand-delivered Objections were required to be deposited in the box labeled “2026 Water and Sewer Rate Written Objections Only.”

Protests could also be hand-delivered to the Director of Commission Affairs during the public comments section of the rate hearing.  

Objections or Protests submitted by email, fax, or other means not mentioned above were not be accepted as an Objection or a Protest. At its April 28, 2026 public hearing, the SFPUC Commission considered all timely submitted Objections and SFPUC responses.

The SFPUC water and sewer bills contain two core elements: fixed charges that cover shared costs relevant to all customers and usage charges based on the amount of water used or wastewater produced. Learn how to Read Your Current Bill.  

We are required to periodically undertake rates studies to ensure the rates customers are charged reflect the true cost of providing our services. Adjustments are then proposed so that all customers are treated fairly, uninterrupted services are provided, strict environmental regulations can be met, and the financial stability of our assets and systems are maintained long-term.

To continue delivering the services that San Franciscans depend on, the SFPUC proposes introducing a new water and sewer rate structure for fiscal years ending 2027-2028. The proposed new rates represent a combined monthly bill increase for the average San Francisco residential household of $21 and $23 in fiscal years 2027 and 2028 respectively. Those increases amount to approximately 12.6% and 12.5% per year.  If approved, the rate increases would become effective July 1, 2026.

The average customer’s water and sewer bill in San Francisco would still be less than current bills in Los Angeles and Santa Clara and just slightly more than Oakland and San Jose.

Webinars to discuss the proposed rates were held on: 

• Monday, April 6, 2026, at 10 am
• Monday, March 23, 2026
• Monday, March 16, 2026

Cantonese, Filipino, and Spanish interpretation available.  

We are committed to keeping our rates affordable and providing ways for all of our customers to lower their bills. Explore our programs that help you save water and money

Review the Frequently Asked Questions page (English| Español | 中文 | Filipino) and learn more about the proposed rates. 

• What is Prop 218 (English | Español | 中文 | Filipino | Tiếng Việt | عربي | Pусский | Samoano)
• Proposition 218 (English | Español | 中文 | Filipino | Tiếng Việt | عربي | Pусский | Samoano)
• Rules Governing Submitting Written Objections to Proposed Water or Sewer Fees or Charges
• How to Read Your Current Bill
• SFPUC Water and Wastewater Rates Study (05/15/23)
• Frequently Asked Questions page (English| Español | 中文 | Filipino)
• Virtual 2026 Rates webinar meeting:
  • Watch the recording from Monday, April 6, 2026, at 10 am
  • Watch the recording from Monday, March 23, 2026
  • Watch the recording from Monday, March 16, 2026
  • Cantonese, Filipino, and Spanish interpretation available.

Stay informed with the latest news about ongoing initiatives, projects, maintenance and upgrades to the SFPUC water and sewer system.

• Water Daily: April 1, 2026, How San Francisco is rebuilding a 1950s wastewater plant for a modern city
• CBS 5: February 27, 2026, Pipeline upgrade to keep water flowing at SF General Hospital after major earthquake nears completion
• Kneedeep Times, The Bay Area’s Climate Resilience Magazine: December 17, 2025, Can Urban Design & Green Infrastructure Weather Wetter Storms?
• KQED: October 17, 2025, San Francisco Reveals Upgraded Earthquake Firefighting System, 36 Years After Loma Prieta
• San Francisco Chronicle: October 16, 2025, This powerful water cannon will help SF fight post-earthquake fires.
• Telemundo San Francisco: October 16, 2025 (en español), Bomberos realizan entrenamiento e inspección del sistema del agua en caso de emergenci en San Francisco.
• San Francisco Chronicle: September 13, 2025, San Francisco sewage facility promises to extinguish odors after $700M rehab.
• San Francisco Examiner: August 14, 2025, A San Francisco middle school’s blacktop becomes a recreation oasis.