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Home Water Services
# Water Rates
* Home Water Services
* Water Rates
* Stormwater Fee
* Stormwater Funding Review
Contact Us
For information about water rates
Call 905-546-2489
Ask a Question
Contact us
For questions or assistance please contact:
Hamilton Utilities Billing Customer Service
**905-546-8630**
**[email protected]**.
## Low Income Seniors Utility Rebate
Low-income seniors may now qualify for additional financial assistance through the new Seniors Utility Rebate.
If you qualify for the current Seniors Property Tax Rebate you will automatically qualify for the water related rebate, provided the property has an active metered water account. If you're already receiving the tax rebate, no action is required to start receiving the utility rebate. The utility rebate will appear as a credit on your June property tax bill.
If you are not receiving the Seniors Property Tax Rebate (65+) and want to to learn more visit the City's Tax Assistance Programs.
The Water, Wastewater and Stormwater program is self-sustaining. Revenue comes from billing residents for water use.
You are charged for water use based on your water meter reading. You receive a bill for your water use from Hamilton Utilities Billing (HUB). If you have questions regarding your water bill or payment options, contact Hamilton Utilities Billing, **call 905-546-8630** or email **[email protected]**.
Visit hamilton.ca/HUB for more information on Understanding Your Water Bill.
Residential water rates effective January 1, 2026
| Meter Size | Billing Type and Rate Description | Fixed Charge Per Day | Usage Rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| N/A | Flat Rate Water | N/A | $883.30 / year |
| 15 mm to 21 mm | Metered Monthly | $0.56 | $1.21 for usage less than or equal to 10 m3 $2.42 for usage greater than 10 m3 |
| 25mm | Metered Monthly | $1.40 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 38 mm | Metered Monthly | $2.80 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 50 mm | Metered Monthly | $4.48 | $2.42 per m3 |
Residential wastewater/stormwater rates effective January 1, 2026
| Meter Size | Billing Type and Rate Description | Fixed Charge Per Day | Usage Rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| N/A | Flat Rate Water | N/A | $952.65 / year |
| 15 mm to 21 mm | Metered Monthly | $0.63 | $1.31 for usage less than or equal to 10 m3 $2.61 for usage greater than 10 m3 |
| 25mm | Metered Monthly | $1.58 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 38 mm | Metered Monthly | $3.15 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 50 mm | Metered Monthly | $5.04 | $2.61 per m3 |
**Meter size (as shown on your bill) depicts the fixed charge.**
Water rates effective January 1, 2026
| Meter Size | Billing Type | Fixed Charge Per Day | Usage Rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15 mm | Metered | $0.56 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 16 mm | Metered | $0.56 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 20 mm | Metered | $0.56 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 21 mm | Metered | $0.56 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 25mm | Metered | $1.40 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 38 mm | Metered | $2.80 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 50 mm | Metered | $4.48 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 75 mm | Metered | $8.96 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 100 mm | Metered | $14 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 150 mm | Metered | $28 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 200 mm | Metered | $44.80 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 250 mm | Metered | $64.40 | $2.42 per m3 |
| 300 mm | Metered | $95.20 | $2.42 per m3 |
Wastewater/stormwater rates effective January 1, 2026
| Meter Size | Billing Type | Fixed Charge Per Day | Usage Rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 15 mm | Metered | $0.63 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 16 mm | Metered | $0.63 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 20 mm | Metered | $0.63 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 21 mm | Metered | $0.63 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 25mm | Metered | $1.58 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 38 mm | Metered | $3.15 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 50 mm | Metered | $5.04 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 75 mm | Metered | $10.08 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 100 mm | Metered | $15.75 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 150 mm | Metered | $31.50 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 200 mm | Metered | $50.40 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 250 mm | Metered | $72.45 | $2.61 per m3 |
| 300 mm | Metered | $107.10 | $2.61 per m3 |
**Meter size (as shown on your bill) depicts the fixed charge.**
## What water rates pay for
**Delivery of safe, reliable drinking water** to citizens and businesses of Hamilton. Hamilton's water comes from Lake Ontario and our water treatment and distribution systems make it ready for you to drink straight from the tap.
**Collection and treatment of wastewater and stormwater.** Collecting and treating rain water, storm run-off and sanitary waste from domestic, commercial, and industrial activity is key to preventing source water pollution and protecting public health.
**Operating, maintaining, replacing and rehabilitating aging water, wastewater and stormwater sewer systems including:**
* 1 water treatment plant
* 4 communal well systems
* 2 wastewater treatment plants
* Over 5,000 kilometres of pipes
* Over 13,000 fire hydrants
* Over 160,000 water connections & meters
* 139,000 sewer connections
* Over 90 pumping/outstations
**Water meter installation, reading and maintenance.** In addition to measuring consumption allowing us to charge fairly based on volumetric use, metering provides an incentive for water conservation and preservation of this invaluable, life-sustaining resource.
**Capital infrastructure investments** to improve water and wastewater processes ensuring fiscal and environmental sustainability. The current replacement value of our water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure is $10 billion.
**New Provincial Legislation** that is reducing revenue from development charges and costs from other regulatory changes.
## Reducing costs
In an effort to reduce costs the City of Hamilton has:
* Built a gas purification plant that allows us to convert methane into natural gas that is sold back to the local grid.
* Built a methane-powered cogeneration unit that produces enough electricity to power 1200 homes per year.
* Focused on system leak detection initiatives to reduce water loss.
* Optimized chemical usage and hydro time-of-day use.
* Replaced process equipment with more efficient devices.
* Implemented trenchless technologies to rehabilitate infrastructure.
* Optimized management of both in-house and contract staff resources.
Visit hamilton.ca/hub for more information on Understanding Your Water Bill.
Water Rates
## Stormwater Funding
The City will implement a stormwater fee starting in 2028. This fee will be a more fair and equitable way for property owners to pay for stormwater services in Hamilton than the current approach.
Learn about the Stormwater Funding
## How do we compare to other municipalities?
Hamilton's water, wastewater and stormwater rates are among the lowest in Ontario. **Hamilton has the third lowest water costs in 2024 at $965** for 200 m3/year amongst the cities in our region as shown below:
## Why are rates increasing?
The majority of the water rate increase is due to new provincial legislation that is reducing revenue from development charges and costs from other regulatory changes. The remainder of the water rate increase represents the increased costs of delivering water, wastewater and stormwater services. Water and wastewater budgets contain fixed costs that do not change in direct proportion to water consumption. The cost to distribute, collect and treat municipal water and wastewater throughout the City remains relatively constant, regardless of the volume consumed by all residents.
A portion of your bill is used for capital renewal and expansion of the City's overall water/wastewater/stormwater infrastructure which has a replacement value of $14 billion. Aging City infrastructure becomes more costly to operate, maintain and replace with over 20% of the City's water and sewer mains being more than 80 years old.
Learn more about the 2026 Tax and Water Rate Budget
Date modified
October 07, 2026