Chilliwack water, sewer and garbage fees
How do water, sewer, and garbage utility fees work in Chilliwack, and when are they due?
Short answer
The City of Chilliwack bills water, sewer and curbside garbage, recycling and compostables quarterly, due within 45 days of the billing date. In 2026 a 20 mm water connection is $33.99 and sewer $55.18 per quarter, plus $2 and $4.09 per 100 cubic feet if metered. Curbside collection is $27.15 to $34.80 a month.
Key facts
| What is billed | Water, sewer, and curbside collection (garbage, recycling and compostables, by cart size). Single detached homes, duplex and rowhouse units and small-scale multi-unit housing must pay the collection fee.Tax & Utility Rates, Solid Waste Rates; Utility Rates; Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541, s. 131 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordingSolid Waste rates are billed quarterly. Utility rates are billed quarterly. is required to pay the applicable fee for the Collection Service as set out in Schedule “C” |
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| Billing schedule | Quarterly. Water and sewer are billed per three-month billing period and garbage collection is billed quarterly for the three preceding months. All are due and payable within 45 days from the date of billing.Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2995 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), s. 62; Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 3702 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), s. 86(1); Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541, s. 137 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordingAll fees and charges shall be charged per billing period and are due and payable 45 days rates shall be billed quarterly and are due and payable within 45 days from the Fees shall be billed quarterly in respect of the three preceding months, and are due |
| Water | From January 2026, a 20 mm service is $33.99 per quarter (40 mm $46.09). The bylaw sets this as a minimum quarterly charge by meter size, plus a uniform quantity charge of $2 per 100 cubic feet of metered consumption. The City rate sheet lists the same amounts as "flat rate" and "metered".Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2995 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), Schedule B, ss. 1 and 3; 2026 Water and Sewer Rates, Water & Sewer Rates, 2026-1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordingThe following minimum charge billed quarterly, based on meter size 20 mm $ 33.99 a quarterly uniform quantity charge of $2.00 per 100 cubic feet Flat Rate (3 months – 20mm) 33.99 55.18 |
| Sewer | From January 2026, a single residential property pays a basic fee of $55.18 per quarter plus a consumption fee of $4.09 per 100 cubic feet, based on 90% of metered water used. Without a water meter, the bylaw bases the charge on an assumed 2,000 cubic feet, but the City rate sheet shows a $55.18 flat rate.Sources differ: The rate sheet shows a flat sewer rate of $55.18 per quarter, while bylaw Schedule B s. 2(4) says an unmetered single-family sewer charge is based on an assumed 2,000 cubic feet; the bylaw governs, but how the City bills unmetered homes is not clear.Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 3702 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), Schedule B, ss. 1-2; 2026 Water and Sewer Rates, Water & Sewer Rates, 2026-1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordingThe quarterly sewer user rates shall be the sum of the basic fee and the consumption fee, based on 90% of metered water consumed without water meters, the quarterly sewer use charge shall be based on an Flat Rate (3 months – 20mm) 33.99 55.18 |
| Garbage and recycling | Total monthly fee by cart sizes: $27.15 (80 L compostable cart, 120 L garbage) up to $34.80 (360 L compostable, 360 L garbage), for the 120 L, 240 L or 360 L recycling cart. Includes monthly glass and flexible plastics collection. Extra tag-a-bag $4 each.Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541, Schedule C, s. 1(1)-(2) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordinga fee dependent on the cart sizes selected The total monthly fee is set out in Column 4, opposite to the applicable sizes of Collection Service fees include monthly collection of Glass Packaging and Flexible |
| Discounts | Not confirmed. No early-payment or seniors discount appears on the City's utility pages or in the three bylaws searched; the bylaws were searched for the words but not every page was read. |
| Late penalty | Interest is charged on any unpaid water, sewer or solid waste fee after the due date on the invoice, at the rate set by the Lieutenant Governor in Council under the Taxation (Rural Area) Act. The rate is not stated. Fees unpaid on December 31 are added to property taxes as arrears, and the City may refuse water or sewer service until arrears are paid.Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2995 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), s. 69; Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 3702 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), s. 86(5)-(6); Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541, ss. 141-142 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordingshall be subject to interest if Interest shall be at the rate as any fee or charge authorized by this Bylaw may be entered upon the Assessment Any fee or charge imposed by this Bylaw which is unpaid on December 31 is deemed to |
| Bylaw | Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995 (water); Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 2010, No. 3702 (sewer); Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541 (garbage, recycling, organics).Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2995 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), s. 1; Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 3702 (consolidated to August 18, 2026), s. 1; Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited as “Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995”. This Bylaw may be cited as “Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 2010, This bylaw may be cited as “Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541”. |
How it works
Charges for water and sewer depend on whether your property is on a flat rate or a meter. Sewer on a metered account is billed on 90% of the water used. Garbage, recycling and compostables are billed on the same utility cycle by cart size. The owner of the property is responsible for unpaid balances.
Good to know
- Interest applies to unpaid sewer and solid waste fees after the due date at the rate set under the Taxation (Rural Area) Act. Fees unpaid on December 31 are added to the property taxes as arrears.
- The City may refuse sewer service while arrears are unpaid.
- You can level out payments with the PAWS Equal Payment Plan or pay by Auto-Debit; both are on the City's PAWS for Utilities page.
- Additional green or recycling carts, tag-a-bag ($4) and cart exchanges ($50) carry extra fees under Schedule C.
Official forms and pages
Sources
- 2026 Water and Sewer Rates (PDF), City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-11)
- Sanitary Sewer System Regulation Bylaw 3702 (PDF) (consolidated to August 18, 2026) (read 2026-11-11)
- Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2995 (PDF) (consolidated to August 18, 2026) (read 2026-11-11)
- Solid Waste Management Bylaw 2026, No. 5541 (PDF) (read 2026-11-11)
- Tax & Utility Rates, City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-11)
- PAWS for Utilities, City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-11)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.