Rates and Charges

Department of Utilities

How Your Utility Systems Are Funded

Rate restructuring is under public review

The rates shown below are the current rates in effect. A rate study is underway with three changes to the wastewater bill structure:

Introduction of a dedicated stormwater fee based on impervious area
Replacement of the CSO Annual Fixed Fee with a sewer base charge tied to meter size
Reduction of the sewer volumetric rate from $25.97 to $18.65 per 1,000 gallons

No change has been adopted. Any rate change requires two public hearings before the Newport City Council. Total cost recovery is preserved under the proposed structure; the changes restructure how cost is allocated, not how much is collected.

For details on the proposal, the public workshop materials, and how to submit comments, visit the Rate Study and Fees page.

Rate Study and Fees

The Department of Utilities is fully funded through the rates and charges paid by its customers. No property tax revenue is used to support operations or infrastructure. Monthly rates and charges paid by customers directly support the operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of each utility’s infrastructure.

The Newport Water Division (NWD) operates the public drinking water system that serves the City of Newport, the Town of Middletown, and a small portion of the Town of Portsmouth, as well as supplying water to the Portsmouth Water and Fire District and Naval Station Newport. Only residents, businesses, and industries that are NWD customers contribute to funding the water system.

The Water Pollution Control Division (WPC) manages the public sewer and stormwater systems that serve the City of Newport. The Water Pollution Control Facility also provides regional wastewater treatment to the Town of Middletown, Naval Station Newport, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and septic and holding tank haul-in from the Town of Portsmouth. Only residents, businesses, and industries that are WPC customers contribute to supporting these systems.

Funds collected for one utility can only be used for that specific utility. For example, water funds cannot be used for sewer projects, and vice versa.

Oversight and Rate Setting

NWD is regulated by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RIPUC). RIPUC reviews and approves all water rates as outlined in the Rate Schedule to ensure they reflect the true cost of providing service (known as “cost of service” pricing). Any proposed rate changes must undergo a formal review and approval process before taking effect.

WPC rates and fees are recommended by the Department of Utilities and approved by the Newport City Council. These rates are structured to generate just enough revenue to cover system expenses.

The Department of Utilities does not make a profit. All revenue is reinvested into system maintenance, daily operations, and infrastructure improvements that benefit the community.

Current Rates and Charges

Water Usage Charge – Effective March 1, 2025

All charges under this section are rendered in advance concurrent with the billing cycles, monthly or quarterly, and are due and payable in full when rendered. For all quantities used, the following rates apply:

Residential	$13.01 per thousand gallons
Non-Residential	$13.45 per thousand gallons

All metered sales bills under this rate schedule are rendered in arrears monthly or quarterly at the option of the Newport Water Division and are due and payable in full when rendered.

Metered Sales – Naval Station Newport	$8.6626 per thousand gallons
Metered Sales – Portsmouth Water and Fire District	$7.4536 per thousand gallons

Water Monthly Service Charge – Effective March 1, 2025

For each meter connected to the Newport Water Division’s mains, the following customer charges shall apply:

Size of Meter	Monthly Service Charge
5/8″	$6.12
3/4″	$6.39
1″	$8.44
1.5″	$13.52
2″	$18.68
3″	$47.69
4″	$55.81
5″	$66.64
6″	$74.77
8″	$96.42
10″	$135.68
Portsmouth Water and Fire District	$1.97

Water Quality Protection Charge – Effective March 1, 2025

Water Quality Protection

$0.29 per thousand gallons*

*State mandated charge to protect sources of drinking water, set under Rhode Island General Law §46-15.3-5. Rate equals $0.000292 per gallon.

CSO Annual Fixed Fee Schedule – Effective July 1, 2025

Under public review: The current rate study proposes to retire the CSO Annual Fixed Fee and replace it with a sewer base charge tied to meter size. The bill line item would be restructured to reflect the broader operational and capital cost basis of the sewer system. Total cost recovery is preserved. CSO Long-Term Control Plan obligations under the federal Consent Decree continue to be funded under the proposed structure. See Wastewater Rate Restructuring for the proposed sewer base charge by meter size.

Per ordinance Section 13.12.015, the CSO Fixed Fee is an annual charge prorated based on the customer’s monthly billing cycle. Revenue generated from the CSO Fixed Fee is maintained in a restricted Water Pollution Control Account. Funds in this account are used only for projects associated with the City’s Long-Term CSO Control Plan as approved by RIDEM. The fee is based on the size of the customer’s water meter. The schedule excludes irrigation accounts. A change to the CSO Fixed Fee requires two public hearings before the City Council.

Customers with a City of Newport Service Address

Size of Meter	Annual CSO Fixed Fee	Monthly Equivalent
5/8″ and 3/4″	$337.84	$28.15
1″	$466.30	$38.86
1.5″	$879.80	$73.32
2″	$1,289.79	$107.48
3″	$3,121.54	$260.13
4″	$5,192.60	$432.72
5″	$7,879.50	$656.63
6″	$10,971.12	$914.26

Monthly equivalent shown for reference. The annual fee is prorated across the customer’s monthly or quarterly billing cycle.

Sewer Usage Charge – Effective August 1, 2025

Water usage directly impacts the sanitary sewer system; most water eventually becomes wastewater flowing through the sewer system. Higher water usage produces a greater volume of wastewater requiring treatment. Consistent with standard industry practice, the Sewer Use Charge is based on the customer’s water consumption. The Sewer Use Charge is billed only to water customers with a City of Newport service address; while the Department of Utilities water system extends across Aquidneck Island, the sanitary sewer system is confined to the City of Newport.

Per ordinance Section 13.12.010, the sewer charge has two components: a basic charge calculated against a 4,100 gallon usage minimum, and an additional flow charge for usage above 4,100 gallons.

Charge Component	Rate
Basic charge (against 4,100 gallon minimum usage)	$25.97 per 1,000 gallons
Additional flow charge (usage above 4,100 gallons)	$19.80 per 1,000 gallons

Effective August 1, 2025, established by ordinance Section 13.12.010. A change to the sewer use charge requires two public hearings before the City Council.

Under public review: The current rate study proposes to reduce the sewer volumetric rate from $25.97 to $18.65 per 1,000 gallons because stormwater cost is being moved to a dedicated stormwater fee. See Wastewater Rate Restructuring for the full proposed structure.

Industrial Pretreatment Program Rates – Effective June 23, 2010

Industrial Pretreatment Program application fees, annual permit fees, monitoring fees, and BOD/TSS surcharges reflect the rate schedule adopted effective June 23, 2010. These rates remain in effect and may be subject to future Council review.

Businesses or facilities subject to the Industrial Pretreatment Program

Table 1 – Application Fees

Category	Description	Fee
1	Users requiring pretreatment.	$652.00
2	Users having some toxic discharge requiring minimal or no pretreatment.	$522.00
3	Users having nontoxic discharges in addition to sanitary waste flows.	$391.00
4	Users utilizing toxic pollutants but not discharging to the Newport Water Pollution Control Facility.	$261.00
5	Users discharging sanitary waste flows only.	$130.00
6 (R1)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 1 and 25 persons.	$130.00
6 (R2)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 26 and 50 persons.	$261.00
6 (R3)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 51 and 100 persons.	$391.00
6 (R4)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 101 and 150 persons.	$522.00
6 (R5)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of greater than 150 persons.	$652.00
7	Waste hauled into the Newport Water Pollution Control Facility.	$391.00

Table 2 – Annual Permit Fees

Category	Description	Fee
1	Users requiring pretreatment.	$4,887.00
2	Users having some toxic discharge requiring minimal or no pretreatment.	$3,845.00
3	Users having nontoxic discharges in addition to sanitary waste flows.	$1,922.00
4	Users utilizing toxic pollutants but not discharging to the Newport Water Pollution Control Facility.	$1,088.00
5	Users discharging sanitary waste flows only.	$457.00
6 (R1)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 1 and 25 persons.	$130.00
6 (R2)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 26 and 50 persons.	$261.00
6 (R3)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 51 and 100 persons.	$391.00
6 (R4)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of between 101 and 150 persons.	$522.00
6 (R5)	Businesses serving food with a seating capacity of greater than 150 persons.	$652.00
7	Waste hauled into the Newport Water Pollution Control Facility.	$391.00

Table 3 – Monitoring Fees

Item	Fee
Metals*	$33.00
COD	$30.00
Cyanide	$60.00
BOD	$33.00
TSS	$20.00
Oil and Grease	$66.00
pH	$20.00
Equipment**	$66.00
Sampling**	$100.00
Analyses**	$212.00

Table 4 – BOD and TSS Surcharges

Parameter	Fee
BOD per lb	$0.17
TSS per lb	$0.06

Private Fire Protection – Effective March 1, 2025

For each service connected to the Newport Water Division’s mains used wholly or in part to supply fire protection appliances owned and maintained by the customer, the following charges shall apply per annum:

For each connection less than 2 inch	$41.31
For each 2 inch connection	$172.90
For each 4 inch connection	$592.90
For each 6 inch connection	$1,354.15
For each 8 inch connection	$2,667.15
For each 10 inch connection	$4,642.17
For each 12 inch connection	$7,379.47

No additional charge will be made for private protection appliances owned and maintained by the customer.

All bills for private fire service under this schedule are rendered in advance and are due and payable in full when rendered.

Public Fire Protection – Effective March 1, 2025

Applicable throughout the entire territory served by the Newport Water Division for public fire protection. All bills for public fire service are rendered in advance monthly.

For each hydrant

$1,293.95 per annum

Miscellaneous Charges – Effective March 1, 2025

#	Description	Fee
1	Temporary Water Service	Requires deposit of $1,000; meter rental $10.00 per day; retail rate for water; labor cost plus 75%; $60.00 minimum charge
2	Meter Test – 2 inch or less	$65.00 in advance
3	Meter Test – greater than 2 inch	Labor cost plus 75%; contractor cost plus 25%
4	Service Turn-on and Turn-off	$40.00 during business hours; labor cost plus 75% after business hours
5	Turn-on Charge	$40.00 during business hours; labor cost plus 75% after business hours
6	Meter Connection and Service Fee	Material and equipment costs plus 25%; labor cost plus 75%; $50.00 tapping fee for new service; police detail at cost
7	Interest on Delinquent Accounts	18% per annum
8	Interim Water Bills	$35.00 per request
9	Laboratory Sample Testing	Material and testing charge plus 25%; labor costs plus 75%
10	Flow Testing	Labor costs plus 75%; $40.00 minimum
11	Pressure Testing	Labor costs plus 75%; $40.00 minimum
12	Water Service Application Fee	Residential $60.00; commercial $100.00
13	Statement Charge	$2.50 per statement
14	Photocopying	Letter or legal size: $0.15 per page; distribution sheet: $3.00 per plan

High Utility Bill Checklist

Have you received a bill that is higher than usual? An unusually high bill may be due to increased water usage, a plumbing issue, or an error with the meter reading. To investigate the cause of a high bill, use NWD’s High Utility Bill Investigation Checklist.

High Bill, Unpreventable Water Release?

The Department is unable to refund metered water charges. However, if a one-time unpreventable water release caused an extraordinarily high bill, you may qualify for a sewer charge abatement (once per ten-year period for Newport service area only). Review the Sewer Abatement Request Form to verify eligibility criteria before submitting.

Water Quality Protection Charge Exemption

The Water Quality Protection Charge is required under Rhode Island General Law §46-15.3-5 to help protect and preserve the State’s drinking water sources. Customers of the Newport Water Division (NWD) may qualify for an exemption from this charge if they meet all of the following conditions:

The customer is 65 years of age or older.
The customer is the property owner of record.
The property is the customer’s primary residence.
The property is not rented at any time during the year.

If you meet these requirements, complete and submit the Exemption Application to request the exemption.

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401-845-5826

Department of Utilities