Sewer

The Boise sewer system is a collection of more than 900 miles of pipes that weave underneath the city. Along with regular system maintenance, Public Works makes major repairs and is in charge of designing the system.

Sewer Fees

In general, fees paid to the city prior to connection to the sanitary sewer system consist of two major components: connection (capacity) fees and assessment fees. These fees do not pay a contractor to complete the physical connection from the building to the edge of the right of way.

Capacity Fees

All new and expanding water renewal customers must purchase capacity in the city’s system. Capacity fees are comprised of three parts: trunk fees, treatment fees, and equivalent assessment fees.

  • Trunk fee – Designed to recover the cost of pipelines transporting used water throughout the city.
  • Treatment fee –Designed to recover the cost of maintaining water renewal facilities.
  • Equivalent Assessment fee –Any person initiating water renewal service in the City who has not contributed proportionately toward the costs and expenses of constructing pipelines, manholes, and lift stations adjacent to the property shall pay an additional fee. This fee is typically seen on a parcel that has never been developed or has never connected to the system.

For questions about capacity fees, please call 208-608-7150.

Assessment Fees

The assessment fee is based on the average cost of an 8-inch sewer line in the street and will include a service line to the edge of the right-of-way of your property. The assessment is an average cost to construct pipe, manholes, pavement restoration, and permits as well as design, survey and inspection of the project. The assessment fee is an average cost of projects rather than dividing the cost of the particular project which serves your area.

Not all properties will pay an assessment fee. New subdivisions are required to pay the assessment and to construct sanitary sewers within the subdivision boundaries at the time of development. The costs for sewer are then included in the cost of your subdivision lot. If you are building on an existing lot which is being split or connecting an existing building to sanitary sewer, you should expect to pay the assessment component of the fees.

Contact Information

Design

For information on design requirements, please call (208) 608-7150.

Connection Fees or Extensions

For information on connection fees and / or extensions, please call (208) 608-7150.

Sewer Odor Complaints

For complaints related to sewer odor, line back-ups or construction related issues, please report online or call (208) 608-7200.

Report Online

Report Issue

For sewer back-ups, line breaks or construction issues, call (208) 608-7200.

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