Rates and Fees

The Fountain Hills Sanitary District bills property owners within the District boundaries for fees as established by the Board of Directors within the guidelines of the Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 48.  The fees we bill are:

Sewer User Fees

Sewer User Fees are for developed properties connected to the sewer for capacity in the treatment works and recycled water distribution facilities.  This fee is billed quarterly (in the months of January, April, July, and October) to all residential and commercial units. Residential units are billed a flat rate per unit fee.  Commercial units are billed based on a formula. Please see the Sewer Service Fees for specific rates details.

Availability Fees

Availability Fees is a charge levied against all properties in the district that is not connected to the sewer system but lies adjacent to a sewer line for the benefit of that particular parcel of property.  Which benefits from having the sewer line and capacity in the treatment works and recycled water distribution facilities to accommodate should the property be developed.  The Availability Fees are billed annually, every January.

Low-Income Assistance Program (LIAP)

For those on a fixed monthly income, payment of sewer fees may be made monthly rather than quarterly.  Please call the District’s office to arrange a monthly payment.  Effective January 1, 2019, the District will offer a Low Income Assistance Program designed to assist home owners with low incomes.  Program requirements are detailed here.

Other Fees Charged by Fountain Hills Sanitary District

A fee charged to developers of all new subdivisions.  Said fee shall cover the cost of project review, physical inspection of all sewer construction including but not limited to TV inspection of the sewer lines, and observation of required testing for all new facility construction.  Said fee shall be payable prior to the approval of plans and specifications.  Please see the Sewer Service Fees for specific rate details.

Encroachment or Abandonment Permit Fee

A fee charged upon application for an easement encroachment or abandonment permit.  Please see the Sewer Service Fees for specific rate details. More information is available about Encroachment or Abandonment here.

Sewer Service Agreement Fees

A Sewer Service Agreement Fee is for connection to the Sanitary District’s sewer system.  The Sewer Service Agreement must be issued by the Sanitary District in order to obtain a building permit for new construction from the Town of Fountain Hills.  Fees are payable upon application for connection to the District’s sewer system. Please see the Sewer Service Fees for specific rate details.

A Sewer Service Agreement is comprised of the following fees:

Hook-up Fee

A fee imposed upon owners of real property to connect to the District’s sewer system.  Said fee does not include the cost of the actual physical connection but does include physical inspection and administrative expenses.

Capacity Fee

A fee imposed upon all owners of real property to connect to the District’s sewer system.  Said fee is based upon the cost to develop the sewage collection, treatment, and recycled water distribution facilities required to treat the flow of sewage which enters the sewer system of the District from a particular sewer connection.

Shea Corridor Capacity Fee Surcharge

A fee charged for all connections made from developments, plats, or subdivisions utilizing the Shea Outfall Sewer which sewer infrastructure plans and specifications are approved after December 19, 1995.  The surcharge is established to fund the replacement of gravity lines, pump stations, and force mains directly attributable to growth from these new developments, plats, or subdivisions.

Lateral Fee

A fee imposed upon an owner of real property to connect to the District’s sewer system.  Said fee is to cover the cost to construct a sewer lateral from the property line of the said owner to the middle of the easement or right-of-way in which the sewer is located.  The Lateral Fee shall not be charged on connections where the sewer laterals are provided by a developer or others.

For a complete list of all fees in detail, please see the fee schedule.