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City of Fort Lauderdale Water & Wastewater Capital Improvements
 
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What costs do property owners have to pay to hook up to the new sanitary sewer system?

You will have to pay a one-time conversion cost to convert your property from septic tank to sanitary sewer service. If you own a single-family home, you can expect the one-time conversion cost to be on the order of $2,500 to $4,500.

This one-time conversion cost consists of two amounts:

§ Connection Fee: The sanitary sewer connection fee is a one-time cost ($1,000 for single family homes) that must be paid to the City within 90-days following completion of the sanitary sewer system in your neighborhood, or prior to receiving a plumbing permit to hook-up to the new system, whichever is sooner.

§ Private Plumbing costs: It is estimated to cost approximately $1,500–$3,500 to properly abandon your existing septic tank and install the plumbing pipe from your house to the sewer lateral connection that the City will install at your property line. The actual cost will be determined by the conditions in your yard.

You will also have to pay a recurring sewer service fee as part of your monthly utility bill. For a typical single family home, you can expect to pay an average monthly bill for sanitary sewer service between $33 and $44 per month. Please click here to see a sample copy of a utility bill.

The monthly sewer fee covers the cost to process the sewage and includes a 10% surcharge that will be in effect for a 20-year period, as required for payment of the construction bonds that fund the WaterWorks 2011 Program. The monthly sewer charge will begin appearing on your utility bill 90-days after the sanitary sewer system is certified as complete.

Note: Failure to pay and hook up within 90-days will result in enforcement actions. The Treasury Division can bill and file a lien against the property (in accordance with Florida Statute 159 and City Code 28-190), and the Community Inspections Division has the authority to issue appropriate notices, leading to presentation of the violation to the Special Magistrate. At this level, fines up to $250 per day may be imposed. We strongly recommend that you comply with the sewer connection requirements.

Click here for information on Grants and Financing

Click here for more answers to questions about Connection Fees