Sewer Fees

Current Rates


Effective Date
Monthly Customer Charge
Volume Charge Per CCF (748 gals.)
BOD5 Charge Per Pound
TSS Charge Per Pound
July 1, 2019$19.80$2.40$0.300$0.126
July 1, 2020$20.89$2.50$0.318$0.134
July 1, 2021$22.03$2.60$0.337$0.142
July 1, 2022$23.34$2.71$0.357$0.151
July 1, 2023$24.04$2.79

July 1, 2024$24.76$2.88

July 1, 2025$25.50$2.96


The rates above (in gray) were approved by City Council in January 2020.
The rates above (in blue) were approved by City Council in February 2023.

Call (417) 864.1924 to request additional information and education about rates.

Sewer Rates

The Backstory

Every month, you grab your utility bill, see the sewer rate and pay it without question - because you understand it must be important - but why is it important and what exactly is it?

Based on the community's Integrated Planning efforts, Environmental Services continues to focus our citizen’s resources on activities that maximize the benefit to our ratepayers while meeting our regulatory obligations.  While communities across the country are facing skyrocketing sewer bills as a result of attempting to meet mandates, Springfield’s Overflow Control Plan represents a reasonable approach to investing in our sewer system in a way that protects the interests of our citizens while meeting the terms of our Amended Consent Judgment.

Rate Charges

How They Are Determined

Springfield's sanitary sewer system is supported by the Sewer Enterprise Fund, which is primarily funded through sewer use fees (i.e., wastewater treatment and sewer infrastructure). Revenue collected from sewer fee ratepayers is only used to fund improvements and maintenance to the wastewater system. The funds collected represent the cost of longterm sewer utility operation.

Wastewater charges are determined by both a monthly Customer Charge and a Volume Charge. Volume is measured by 100 Cubic Feet (CCF) of water, which is 748 gallons.  Both residential and nonresidential customers are charged the same wastewater Customer Charge each month.  Residential monthly wastewater Volume Charges are typically based on a three month winter average volume, multiplied by the rate charge for each CCF.  Nonresidential volume charges are typically based on 100% of the volume of water used by the customer each month, multiplied by the volume rate charge for each CCF.  In addition to monthly Customer and Volume charges, some industrial customers may be subject to additional high strength charges based upon the type of wastewater they discharge.

Based on guidance from the Citizens' Wastewater Improvement Task Force, each component of the sewer rate is based on the actual cost of service to convey or treat certain types of wastewater. Sewer rates impact different types of users (residential, non-residential, industrial) depending on how that type of customer uses the sewer system.

The City determines proper rate charges by measuring the strength and content of all discharged sewage and wastewater, either directly or indirectly, into the City's sanitary sewer system.

Any determination of BOD5 and TSS (see below for details) contained in wastewater is based on the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, as written by the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation. .


Breakdown of Rates  What you pay & Why

Residential Users

Both residential and nonresidential customers are charged a flat fee and an additional fee for each CCF (100 Cubic Feet) of water used. The volume charge is based on their CU water usage during the first three months of the year.

Industrial Users

Industrial users can pay additional fees related to the specific types of waste that they send down the drain.

This is a measurement of the oxygen levels used over the course of 5 days. This reading provides an accurate calculation of how much oxygen is necessary within the wastewater in order for microbes to dispose of the contaminants in the water. Since there is a continual flow of wastewater at the treatment plants, it is important to test regularly as the concentration of contaminants has the potential to fluctuate and thus adjust the oxygen needed.

  • For 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand in excess of 1.6 pounds (256 mg/L) for each 100 cubic feet of wastewater, an additional charge shall be made for each such excess pound or fraction thereof as set out above.

This is a count of the solid matter that flows out of the treatment plant and is filter tested in the lab. It can include a range of particulate items, such as plant matter, animal matter and silt. Having this measurement provides us the opportunity to make treatment plant adjustments to ensure that the treated water we are discharging is clean and complies with NPDES permits issues by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. 

  • For Total Suspended Solids in excess of 1.9 pounds (304 milligrams per liter) for each 100 cubic feet of wastewater, an additional charge shall be made for each such excess pound or fraction thereof as set out above.