Adding a meter, splitting a line or connecting to sewer
Tap and meter fees come up in plumbing emergencies more often than people expect. A failed private well may push a homeowner toward public water. A septic system that cannot be repaired raises the question of sewer. A second house on a lot needs its own meter. In each case the utility charges a one-time fee before it sets a meter or makes a sewer tap, and those fees are separate from anything a plumber charges for the private line to the house.
This page reproduces the fees published by the City of Jasper Water and Sewer Department and the Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority. Before planning around any of them, read the next section: the City of Jasper is not currently reviewing applications for new water and sewer connections.
City connections are suspended until at least September 8, 2027
The City of Jasper first suspended new water and sewer connections under Resolution 2024-16 in September 2024. Resolution 2025-06 extended the suspension through September 8, 2026, after a March 2025 capacity evaluation by Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood indicated a capacity deficit. On March 2, 2026, Resolution 2026-01 extended it again to September 8, 2027, citing a continued lack of operational capacity and current permit limits. City staff still receive new applications but will not review them until the suspension ends, and then will process them in the order received.
The city's Building Department page adds that Planning and Development will not accept new site plan review applications during the suspension. The connection suspension guide covers what this means for repairs to existing service, which are not new connections.
City of Jasper meter and sewer tap pricing
The City's Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing sheet lists a 3/4-inch single-family residential meter inside the city at $1,250.00 with a $1,200.00 sewer tap fee, plus the $100.00 water deposit and $50.00 sewer deposit that also appear on the rate schedule. Outside the city, the 3/4-inch residential meter is $1,600.00 and the sewer tap $1,500.00, with a $150.00 water deposit and a $50.00 sewer deposit. A 1-inch residential meter inside the city is listed at $4,000.00.
The sheet also lists a residential cost of construction aid of $3,500 per unit, and separate irrigation meters at $1,600.00 for 3/4-inch and $4,500.00 for 1-inch. Commercial and fire line pricing is on the same sheet and is not reproduced here.
| Item | Inside city | Outside city | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4-inch single-family meter | $1,250.00 | $1,600.00 | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
| Sewer tap fee, single-family | $1,200.00 | $1,500.00 | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
| Water deposit, 3/4-inch | $100.00 | $150.00 | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
| Sewer deposit, 3/4-inch | $50.00 | $50.00 | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
| 1-inch single-family meter | $4,000.00 | not listed | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
| Residential cost of construction aid | $3,500 per unit | $3,500 per unit | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
| Irrigation meter, 3/4-inch / 1-inch | $1,600.00 / $4,500.00 | $1,600.00 / $4,500.00 | Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing |
Water still moving? Close your own shutoff valve first, then send a Free Quote Request.
Free Quote RequestPickens County Water & Sewer Authority meter fees
The county authority's rate sheet lists meter fees by size, starting at $2,500 for a 3/4-inch meter and $4,500 for a 1-inch meter, with larger meters far higher. For newly approved subdivisions after November 2, 2005, the sheet says a tap-on fee of $3000 per lot applies, and the price to set a meter in a subdivision is a $3000 tap fee and a $2500 meter fee. A meter relocation is $2,500. All fees are payable at the time of request and are non-refundable.
Opening a county account also carries a $100.00 non-refundable service charge, and customers must complete a water service application with a valid photo ID and proof of ownership or a lease, according to the rate sheet. The authority is at 1266 East Church Street, Suite 117.
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 3/4-inch meter | $2,500 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| 1-inch meter | $4,500 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| 2-inch meter | $10,000 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Subdivision tap-on fee (subdivisions approved after 11-2-2005) | $3000 per lot | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Setting a meter in a subdivision | $3000 tap fee plus $2500 meter fee | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Meter relocation | $2,500 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Service charge when applying for service | $100.00 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
What the fees do not include
None of these figures cover the private side of the work: trenching and laying the service line from the meter to the house, connecting the building sewer to the tap, abandoning a septic tank or well, or the plumbing permit for that work. Those are priced by the contractor you hire, and the permit fee depends on who issues it. The Jasper and Pickens County plumbing permit fee page covers the permit side.
Deposits and service charges are also separate from monthly bills. Once the meter is set, usage is billed at the rates in the high water bill guide.
Questions to ask before you budget
Ask the utility in writing which fees apply to your address, whether the property is inside or outside city limits, and whether any fee has changed since the schedule was posted. Ask whether a meter upgrade, a second meter or an irrigation meter is treated as a new connection. For a building project, ask the permit office whether its approval depends on proof of water and sewer availability, and when that proof must be shown. Keep each answer with the name of the person and the date. Fees change by resolution, and the published schedule is the starting point, not a guarantee.
Before you plan around a new connection
Confirm three things with the utility before committing money: whether your property is inside the City of Jasper's service area or the county's, whether the city's suspension blocks the connection you need, and whether the fee on the published sheet is current. The City of Jasper also publishes a map comparing its service delivery area with its city limits, which helps explain why some addresses outside the city are on city water. If the immediate problem is a failed septic system or a broken well line, a licensed plumber can tell you what repair options exist while a connection is unavailable; see the sewer backup and septic guide.
Where these facts come from: City of Jasper Water and Sewer Department: Water Sewer Meter Tap Pricing (PDF); City of Jasper: Water and Sewer Rate Schedule, effective August 1, 2024 (PDF); City of Jasper News: Temporary suspension of new water and sewer connections (Resolutions 2024-16, 2025-06, 2026-01); City of Jasper: Building Department (2026 codes, permit fees, inspections); Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority: Water Rates & Meter Fees, effective January 1, 2024 (Water Rate Sheet, PDF). Checked 2026-10-26.
Describe the problem once. Independent plumbers who work in Pickens County can follow up.
Free Quote RequestQuestions Pickens County homeowners ask
Can I get a new City of Jasper water or sewer tap right now?
The City says Resolution 2026-01 extends the suspension of new connections to September 8, 2027; applications are received but not reviewed until the suspension ends.
What does a 3/4-inch residential meter cost from the City of Jasper?
The City's tap pricing sheet lists $1,250.00 inside the city and $1,600.00 outside, with sewer taps of $1,200.00 and $1,500.00.
What is the Pickens County meter fee for a house?
The county rate sheet lists $2,500 for a 3/4-inch meter and $4,500 for a 1-inch meter, payable at the time of request and non-refundable.