A change in Greenville Water’s rates will take effect in January and be reflected in your February bill.
Base & Volume Charge
For our residential customers, the base charge will change in accordance with customers' locations inside and outside of city limits.
Average Impact
We realize that any rate increase has a financial impact on our customers. The rate change will have a $0.79 per month impact on a household that uses 3,000 gallons.
Operational Resiliency
The 2026 change in water rates allows Greenville Water to undertake critical capital improvement projects that improve our water system infrastructure and benefit our community.
Affordability
Greenville Water has among the lowest water rates in the nation. We have partnered with several agencies to assist customers experiencing financial difficulty.
Environmental Stewardship
Greenville Water is committed to the sustainable conservation of 30,000 acres of pristine watershed for future generations.
Quality Water, Sustainable Future
Greenville Water has been awarded top honors for best tasting drinking water in North America and South Carolina.
Rate Change FAQ
Our ‘inside the city limits’ rates are changing from a $5.57 base fee and $1.80 per 1,000 gallons to $5.97 base and $1.93 per 1,000 gallons.
Our ‘outside the city limits’ rates are changing from a $7.83 base fee and $2.55 per 1,000 gallons to $8.23 base and $2.68 per 1,000 gallons.
The rate change will have a $0.79 per month impact on a household that uses 3,000 gallons.
Since the rate change is affecting both base fees and volume charges, the relative change will depend on your water usage. For example, if you use 3,000 gallons, the change will total $0.79.
Please note these changes do not include partner entities' fees reflected in your monthly water bill total.
The rate change will take effect as of January 1, 2026 and be reflected on your February billing statement.
There are many reasons that require a rate change, including:
- To support ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of infrastructure that strengthens the long-term reliability of our water distribution system.
- To keep pace with ongoing growth and ensure our water supply continues to meet the drinking water and fire protection needs of our expanding service area.
- To address increasing operational and infrastructure costs to ensure continued reliability of the system.
We realize that any rate change has a financial impact on our customers. A list of available agencies can be found at greenvillewater.com under “Financial Assistance.” Upon application and qualification, you may be eligible for assistance with your water bill and other expenses.
On our website are suggestions on how to save water, which could help lower your bills. Our Customer Service Department is also available to answer such questions and may be able to offer a payment arrangement if you are struggling with your current balance.
No. Greenville Water considers water quality a top priority and will take all necessary measures to ensure that water quality remains up to standards put in place by the City of Greenville, SC DES, and the EPA.
Greenville Water is always making changes or additions within the company and its operations to ensure customers receive the best service and have the best resources available. This includes expanded customer service and billing features through our online portal, strengthened infrastructure throughout our distribution system, and the ongoing provision of high-quality service amid a growing population.
Greenville Water takes pride in doing all it can to address changes in costs in a way that does not reflect on customer’s bills.
Many new developments require new water infrastructure, such as new water mains and fire hydrants. As the developer installs the infrastructure, the developer installs the necessary water facilities to Greenville Water specifications and under our inspection. Upon completion, the developer donates the newly installed infrastructure to Greenville Water at no cost to our ratepayers. Additionally, Greenville Water collects capacity fees with every new service connection, such as a home and business, to our water system to help fund the construction or expansion of our facilities, such as treatment plants and major water infrastructure. The collection of capacity fees takes the burden off our existing customers to fund these major system improvements and keep our rates low and affordable.
Greenville Water base fees are established on the basis of recovering some of the fixed cost associated with providing the service, while volume charges are based entirely on active use of water as measured by the meter at your property.
If you have an active account with Greenville Water, there are several fixed costs involved in maintaining the service. Since water is available for use, meter readings are taken monthly, and bill statements are generated to communicate usage and other important information. There are also fixed costs to maintain the distribution system that is readily supplying water to your property and ensure our teams are available to you for any questions or assistance.
Our base fees are not prorated. However, special rules apply for starting services, and we will attempt to avoid billing for periods less than 7 days and instead bill for these days on the next bill statement generated.
Details regarding commercial account rate changes coming soon.