Anchorage Assembly to vote on new water and sewer connection fees

New hookup fees for water and sewer service in Anchorage could affect the cost of building housing and commercial space in the city. The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to vote on AO 2026-91 on June 23, and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska must separately clear any new rates before they take effect.

The ordinance would authorize the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility to submit its calculated 2025 Levy Upon Connection rates to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The proposed 2025 rate is $1.13330 for the Anchorage Water Utility and $2.46323 for the Anchorage Wastewater Utility. For comparison, the proposed 2024 rates were $1.24515 for water and $2.42453 for sewer, according to a prior AWWU public notice filing.

After Assembly passage, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska conducts its own review under AWU and ASU Tariff Rule 8.6 before the rates can take effect. The ordinance does not specify a timeline for that review.

The Levy Upon Connection is a one-time fee charged when a new property connects to the municipal water or sewer system. It is a factor in the upfront cost of new construction, affecting homebuilders and commercial developers who must connect new projects to city water and sewer service.

The Assembly chair submitted the ordinance at the request of the mayor. The Assembly's role is to approve the submission to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, which holds final authority over whether the proposed rates take effect.