There may be several reasons for a bill increase, including:
• The number of gallons per sewer unit has decreased from 100,000 in 2025 to 85,000 for 2026
• Water consumption has increased.
• Tax parcels may have historically been underbilled.
Billing
The Department of Water Environment Protection charges a fee called the sanitary sewer unit charge to properties in the Consolidated Sanitary District (CSD) that are connected to the public sewer system. WEP’s sewer unit charge covers costs related to the operation and maintenance of the County owned/leased sewer infrastructure. Local municipalities may charge additional fees for the operation and maintenance of their local sewer systems. WEP’s sanitary sewer unit charge appears on Onondaga County Real Property Tax bills. The Onondaga County Administrative Code Section 11.79 and Resolution 563-1978 establishes how properties are assessed a sanitary sewer unit charge, based on property type. One sewer unit is equal to 85,000 gallons of water for the 2026 tax year.
Sewer Unit Charges
1 sewer unit = 85,000 gallons of water
Property Type |
Sanitary Sewer Units Charged |
|
Residential, Single-Family |
Assessed 1 unit |
|
Residential, Multi-Family |
Assessed ¾ unit per residence |
|
Commercial, Industrial, or Institutional |
Assessed units based on the property’s water consumption, or 1 unit per commercial space, whichever is greater with a minimum of 1 unit |
|
Mixed-Use |
Assessed units based on water consumption or the total calculation of residential and commercial units as defined above, whichever is greater with a minimum of 1¾ units |