Rates & Fees

Effective with meter readings after April 15, 2024
Fixed Charges this fixed monthly charge varies with the size of the meter

RESIDENTIAL A customer's residential rate class is determined by the average monthly metered volume of water they use, shown below:

RESIDENTIAL 1 (R1) Up to 3,200 cubic feet (32 CCF) ... $5.05 per CCF
RESIDENTIAL 2 (R2) More than 3,200 cubic feet (32 CCF) up to 8,000 cubic feet (80 CCF)... $4.73 per CCF
RESIDENTIAL 3 (R3) More than 8,000 cubic feet (80 CCF) up to 24,000 cubic feet (240 CCF)... $4.16 per CCF
RESIDENTIAL 4 (R4) More than 24,000 cubic feet (240 CCF)... $3.66 per CCF

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL A commercial/industrial customer's rate class is determined by the average monthly metered volume of water they use, show below:

Commercial/Industrial 1 (CI1)... $5.05 per CCF
Up to 4,000 cubic feet (40 CCF)
Commercial/Industrial 2 (CI2)... $4.23 per CCF
More than 4,000 cubic feet(40 CCF) of water up to 20,000 cubic feet (200 CCF)
Commercial/Industrial 3 (CI3)... $3.40 per CCF
More than 20,000 cubic feet (200 CCF) of water up to 100,000 cubic feet (1,000 CCF)
Commercial/Industrial 4 (CI4)... $2.95 per CCF
More than 100,000 cubic feet (1,000 CCF) of water up to 750,000 cubic feet (7,500 CCF)
Commercial/Industrial 5 (CI5) ... $2.62 per CCF
More than 750,000 cubic feet (7,500 CCF) of water
Commercial/Industrial 6 (CI6)... $2.22 per CCF
Those services that receive 90% of their annual volume within a three (3) month period in any twelve (12) month period for commercial snow making purposes

WATER FOR INDIVIDUALS BEYOND CITY LIMITS per 100 cubic feet $6.66 per CCF

Effective with meter readings after March 1, 2024

Sprinkling Credit - Single family residential customers are also eligible for a reduction in their sewage costs if they water gardens or lawns. The average use for the winter months is used to calculate the average usage. The customer is then changed no more than 1 above the average for their sewage.

There are three billing components in a monthly natural gas charge; a fixed charge, a per CCF commodity charge, and a per CCF Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) charge.

Effective with meter readings after March 15, 2018
Gas sales services for each 100 cubic feet (1 CCF) of natural gas consumed

Transportation Service:  The Year 1 rate applies to the first 12 months of service for any customer in this rate class.  After the first 12 months of service, the customer will be charged the Year 2+ rate 

Purchase Gas Adjustment (PGA): If the wholesale price of gas purchased by the City of Duluth is increased or decreased as compared to the residential small volume customer rate listed in the Customer Rate Schedule, the unit commodity charge ($ per CCF) for gas sold under the applicable rate scheduled shall be increased or decreased on the customer's monthly bill in the same amount as the unit cost of gas has been increased or decreased.  The PGA calculation will be made by adding or subtracting from the rate per CCF set forth in the customer rate schedule above for each class of customers an amount equal to the rate and the wholesale price of such gas plus an adjustment to reflect the amount of the PILOT resulting from the difference between the applicable Customer Rate and the wholesale price.

RESIDENTIAL:

Storm water fees are calculated based on the number of Equivalent Residential Units (ERU)s on a property. One ERU equals 2,228 square feet of impervious surface. 2,228 square feet is the average impervious surface area in Duluth for a single family home. All residential buildings are billed 1 ERU per living unit.

Rates effective July 1, 2023.

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL:

Commercial/Industrial properties are billed based on the total square footage of impervious surface on the property (typically buildings and parking lots). The total impervious square footage of a commercial property is then converted to ERUs. For example, a medium-sized business might have a total impervious surface of 11,000 square feet. 11,000 sq. feet/2,228 sq. feet per ERU = 4.9 ERUs.  Each commercial ERU is billed at $9.29.

For more information on City of Duluth Stormwater, please visit the following link here. If you have any questions or concerns about your stormwater bill, please contact Stormwater Utility Programs Coordinator, Laura Hoglund at 248-730-5084 or lhoglund@duluthmn.gov. If you would like to review and comment on the City of Duluth's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), please contact Stormwater Programs Coordinator, Ryan Granlund at 218-730-4088 or rgranlund@duluthmn.gov.

$4.90 - Effective January 1, 2016

(a)           In order to protect the public health and the environment, the city, under order from the United States environmental protection agency and Minnesota pollution control agency must improve its wastewater collection system.  Therefore, upon the effective date of this ordinance, the Duluth public utilities commission shall be authorized to create a clean water surcharge upon each customer and user.  There is also created in the city accounting system a fund known as the clean water fund.  Into the fund shall be deposited the following amounts:

(1)           The amounts collected as the clean water surcharge under this Section;

(2)           Any amount allocated to it by action of the city council or city administration;

(3)           Any amounts received as penalties for violation of Chapter 43, Article IV;

(4)           Any amount received as fees or surcharge under Section 43-33.4;

(5)           Any amount received as the surcharge authorized by Section 43‑12.1;

(6)           Any interest earned by the fund;

(7)           Any loans, loan payments or grants received by the city for the purpose of designing, constructing, repairing, maintain­ing, or replacing structures or facilities, including struct­ures used for sanitary sewage overflow storage or for repay­ment of loans made pursuant to the private sewer service program established pursuant to Section 43‑33.1(c)(2) below, for the purpose of attaining compliance with federal or state I&I standards, or any consent decree for that purpose which is binding on the city;

(b)           The money in the clean water fund shall be spent only for the purpose set out in (7) above or for the purpose of making grants and loans under the said private sewer service program.  The require­ments of this Chapter continue in force after the termination of the clean water surcharge.  It is the policy of the city that eventually each sewer in the city shall be inspected and brought into compliance with this Chapter.  (Ord. No. 9199, 6‑19‑2008, ' 8; Ord. No. 9982, 6‑15‑2009, ' 1; Ord. No. 10024, 4‑26‑2010, ' 4..)

$9.72 - Effective January 1, 2020

The State of Minnesota requires Comfort Systems to collect this fee each June and send the funds directly to the state. The funds are used by the State to do additional water testing as required by the U.S. EPA.