Key takeaways
- Data for August 2026 (the latest available on October 13, 2026): the BLS water and sewerage index rose 4.9% year over year; all items rose 3.4%.
- Over 20 years (August 2006 to August 2026), water and sewer prices rose about 155%, compared with about 64% for all items.
- The index measures price changes, not the dollar amount of any household's bill.
The latest data
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index includes a series for water and sewerage maintenance (U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted). Its index stood at 765.482 in August 2026, up from 729.598 in August 2025, an increase of 4.9%[1]. Over the same 12 months, the index for all items rose from 323.976 to 334.980, or 3.4%[2] (percentages are Billix calculations from the BLS index values).
| Period | Water and sewer | All items |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year (Aug 2025 to Aug 2026) | +4.9% | +3.4% |
| 10 years (Aug 2016 to Aug 2026) | +48.2% | +39.1% |
| 20 years (Aug 2006 to Aug 2026) | +155.4% | +64.3% |
How to read these numbers
- It is a price index, not a bill. What you pay also depends on how much water you use and on your local rate structure.
- This series excludes trash. BLS also publishes a broader water, sewer and trash collection index; the two should not be mixed.
- One month is missing. BLS did not publish an October 2025 value for these series[1].
- Local prices vary widely. A national index can rise while some cities hold rates flat and others raise them sharply.
Within 2026 alone, the water and sewer index rose every month from January (745.474) through August (765.482), about 2.7% in seven months[1]. Over longer periods, the 10-year gap is modest, about 6.6% after inflation; the large gap appears over 20 years. For why water and sewer prices have tended to outpace inflation, including aging pipes, fixed costs and new drinking water rules, see Why water bills keep rising.
What comes next
The September 2026 CPI had not been released as of October 13, 2026. We will update this item when BLS publishes it. You can check the series yourself on the BLS data page for CUUR0000SEHG01[1].
Watch Alice explain it
Try the numbers
Water Bill Estimator
Estimate water and sewer charges from your local rate structure.
On our roadmap
Sources
- 1.CPI-U, Water and sewerage maintenance, U.S. city average (series CUUR0000SEHG01). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Checked October 13, 2026.Values for Aug 2006, Aug 2016, Aug 2025 and Aug 2026 retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on October 13, 2026.
- 2.CPI-U, All items, U.S. city average (series CUUR0000SA0). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Checked October 13, 2026.
Billix Editorial Team
Researched and written by the Billix editorial team, and checked against the primary sources listed below each article. How we research. Spot an error? Report a correction.
Educational information only. Not financial, legal or tax advice.