Water Department

Starting New Services

A water / sewer application (PDF) must be filled out to receive water/sewer service. The application fee is $25 and is non-refundable.

Persons establishing a new account within the city must fill out an application, provide a valid photo ID, and pay a $25 application fee. 

Persons moving from one house to another house within the city must complete a new application and pay the $25 application fee for each new residence. A copy of a photo ID is required with each application.

Automatic Payments

If you would like to authorize your financial institution to pay your monthly water bill by charging each payment to your account, complete automatic draft form (PDF), and submit the application to:

419 N. Broadway St.
Abilene, KS 67410

Water Rate Changes – February 2026

Following a Water Rate and Cost of Service Study, the City Commission approved Ordinance 26-3472, which adopted rate changes. 

What This Means for Customers

Water bills vary based on water usage. To help residents understand how the proposed changes may affect a typical residential bill, the City has prepared example of how a residential bill may be impacted. 

The new rate structure includes an initial adjustment followed by phased annual increases to support the long-term operation and maintenance of the City’s water system.

These proposed adjustments apply to water rates only.  Sewer rates are separate and are not included in this proposal.

Current Water Rate Schedule (Effective February 15, 2026)

The current water rate schedule, adopted by the City Commission on February 9, 2026, by Ordinance No. 26-3472, includes the following:

• Residential – Inside City Limits
  • Monthly minimum charge: $26.60
  • Usage Tier 1 - up to 4,000 gallons: $0.454 per 100 gallons
  • Usage Tier 2 - 4,001 - 10,000 gallons: $0.681 per 100 gallons
  • Usage Tier 3 - 10,001 + gallons: $1.362 per 100 gallons
• Commercial – Inside City Limits
  • 3/4" meter monthly minimum charge: $26.60
  • 1" meter monthly minimum charge: $40.56
  • 2" meter monthly minimum charge: $117.34
  • 4" meter monthly minimum charge: $445.41
  • 6" meter monthly minimum charge: $982.88
  • Usage: $0.611 per 100 gallons
• Irrigation - Inside City Limits
  • 3/4" meter monthly minimum charge: $26.60
  • 1" meter monthly minimum charge: $40.56
  • 2" meter monthly minimum charge: $117.34
  • 4" meter monthly minimum charge: $445.41
  • 6" meter monthly minimum charge: $982.88
  • Usage: $0.681 per 100 gallons
• Residential – Outside City Limits
  • Monthly minimum charge: $53.20
  • Usage Tier 1 - up to 4,000 gallons: $0.908 per 100 gallons
  • Usage Tier 2 - 4,001 - 10,000 gallons: $1.362 per 100 gallons
  • Usage Tier 3 - 10,001 + gallons: $2.724 per 100 gallons
• Commercial – Outside City Limits
  • 3/4" meter monthly minimum charge: $26.60
  • 1" meter monthly minimum charge: $40.56
  • 2" meter monthly minimum charge: $117.34
  • 4" meter monthly minimum charge: $445.41
  • 6" meter monthly minimum charge: $982.88
  • Usage 0 to 225,000 gallons: $1.222 per 100 gallons
  • Usage 225,001 gallons or higher: $1.222 per 100 gallons
• Bulk Water Rate
  • $25.00 minimum plus $2.00 per 1,000 gallons
    
    
• Rural Water District #2
  • $1.85 per 1,000 gallons

Sewer Rates

The fee schedule for sewer rates is as follows:

• Residential – Inside City Limits 
  • Monthly Minimum Charge: $15.30
  • Base Tier: $0.644 per 100 gallons.
• Commercial – Inside City Limits 
  • Monthly Minimum Charge: $15.30
  • Base Tier: $0.644 per 100 gallons.
• Residential – Outside City Limits 
  • Monthly Minimum Charge: $22.94
  • Base Tier: $0.966 per 100 gallons
• Commercial – Outside City Limits 
  • Monthly Minimum Charge: $22.94
  • Base Tier: $0.966 per 100 gallons

Sewer rates change every year on the April 1 billing. These sewer rates are based on a three-month winter average of water usage using the months of December, January, and February.

For More Information

If you have any questions or would like to start a new service, please contact Utility Billing at 785-263-2550.

Online Payments

View and pay your bill online at https://abileneks.municipalonlinepayments.com/abileneks/utilities. 

Monthly Billing Cycles

Monthly Utility Billing collects city water, sanitary sewer, recycling, and storm drain fees.

The city reads the water meters in the middle of the month, starting on the 15th. Water meters are read electronically. Utility bills are mailed out on the last day of the month.

Bill Due Dates & Delinquent Notices

All utility bills are due on the 15th of the month. After the 15th of the month a 5% penalty is added to the water and sewer amount. Delinquent notices are mailed out on the 25th of each month.

Payment must be received on all utility accounts by 5 p.m. on the 4th of the following month. If payment is not received by the 4th, a charge of $30 and any delinquent amounts must be paid to continue service.

City of Abilene Water Conservation Plan (PDF)

Water is a resource that we take for granted until it becomes scarce. During droughts it is especially important to conserve water. Less rain means less water to recharge the City's underground water supplies. Even in normal conditions it is prudent to conserve water. There are many ways to voluntarily conserve water, so many that we could never list all of them on this website. The City has, however, developed this short list of water conservation techniques to help you think of ways to conserve water.

• Shorten your shower. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons a minute.
• Use low-flow shower heads or flow restrictors in regular shower heads (saves up to 500-800 gal/min).
• When you can, take a shallow bath instead of a shower (saves 15-20 gal. each time).
• Put bathroom trash in the wastebasket and cigarettes in the ashtray instead of flushing them down the toilet (saves 400-600 gal/month).
• Displace water in the toilet tank so you use less with each flush (saves 5 gal. per day). You can do this with a plastic bottle of water weighed with pebbles.
• Check toilet for leaks by dropping dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there is a leak that should be repaired (saves 200 gal/month).
• Turn off water while brushing your teeth (saves 3 gal/day).
• Rinse your razor with short blasts of water or by swishing it in a partially filled sink instead of running water while you shave (saves 3 gal/day).
• While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or the garden (saves 100-300 gal/month).
• Fix leaking faucets and plumbing joints (saves 20 gal/day per leak).
• Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher (saves 75-200 gal/week).
• Keep a bottle in the refrigerator for drinking instead of running the tap for cold water (saves 200-300 gal/month).
• Defrost frozen food without running water over the packages. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost in the microwave (saves 50-150 gal/month).
• Rinse vegetables in a filled sink or pan instead of under running water (saves 150-250 gal/month).
• Use the garbage disposal less and the garbage can more frequently (save 50-150 gal/month).
• When washing dishes by hand, use a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run for rinsing (saves 200-500 gal/month).
• When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible to minimize rinse water needed (saves 50-150 gal/month).
• Use mulch to cover bare ground in gardens and around trees to slow evaporation (saves 750-1,500 gal/month).
• Plant drought-resistant native trees and plants (saves 750-1,500 gal/month).
• Set lawn mower blades one notch higher since longer grass means less evaporation (saves 500-1,500 gal/month).

While these and other measures may not save a lot of water, every little bit helps when faced with drought conditions.

Water-Related Emergency Declarations

The City is authorized under Chapter, Article 10 of the City Code to declare three types of water-related situations requiring various actions by the public to conserve water use. The purpose of this section is to explain in layman's terms the application of these situations.

Water Watch - When conditions indicate that the probability of a drought or other condition may cause a water shortage within the public water supply, the City Commission may declare a Water Watch to ask water customers to voluntarily reduce water use. Voluntary measures may include limiting or eliminating non-essential uses of water such as:

• sprinkling of water on lawns, shrubs or trees (including golf courses);
• washing of vehicles;
• using water for swimming pools, fountains, and evaporative air conditioning systems; and
• preventing the unnecessary waste of water.

Water Warning - When drought conditions or other conditions exist causing a major water supply shortage and present supplies are starting to decline, the City Commission may declare a Water Warning that will recommend restrictions on all non-essential uses of water during the period of the Water Warning.

Water Emergency - When an emergency exists by reason of a shortage of water needed for essential uses, the City Commission shall declare a Water Emergency to impose mandatory restrictions on water use during the period of the Water Emergency.

When a Water Emergency has been declared, Section 7-1007 of the City Code authorizes the City Manager to implement mandatory water conservation measures, including, but not limited to:

• suspending new connections to the public water supply distribution system (not to include fire hydrants or those connections made pursuant to agreements entered into by the City prior to the effective date of the Water Emergency declaration);
• restricting the uses of watering one or more classes of water use, either wholly or in part;
• restricting the sale of water at coin-operated facilities; or
• imposing water rationing.

Additionally, Section 7-1008 of the City Code authorizes the City Commission to adopt, by ordinance, emergency water rates designed to encourage the conservation of water through price controls. All of the aforementioned water situations continue until such time as the City Commission has declared an end to the specific declaration. Both the declaration and end of a water-related declaration must be adopted by a resolution and published in the official newspaper prior to being effective. The City may prosecute violations of mandatory water-related declarations and regulations in Municipal Court. Penalties for non-compliance of water-related declarations may include fines of up to $500 and imprisonment not to exceed thirty days. The Municipal Judge will determine the penalty for violators.

Classes of Water Use

Section 7-1002 of the City Code defines four classes of water that may be regulated during declared mandatory Water Emergencies. The four classes are as follows:

• Class 1: Water used for outdoor watering, either public or private, for gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs, plants, parks, golf courses, playing fields, swimming pools, or other recreational areas, and the washing of vehicles, boats, trailers, or the exterior of any building or structure.
• Class 2: Water used for any commercial or industrial, including agricultural purposes, except water actually necessary to maintain health and personal hygiene of bona fide employees while such employees are engaged in the performance of their duties at their place of employment.
• Class 3: Domestic usage, other than that which would be included in either Class 1 or 2, above.
• Class 4: Water necessary only to sustain human life and the lives of domestic pets and maintain standards of hygiene and sanitation.

Pursuant to state law, the City of Abilene is required to annually file a Municipal Water Use Report for a Public Water Supply. The report is used to account for all water use by the water utility. Municipal Water Use Reports since 1998 have been posted for the public's information.

• 1998 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 1999 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2000 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2001 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2002 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2003 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2004 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2005 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2006 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2007 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2008 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2009 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2010 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2011 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2012 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2013 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2014 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2015 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2016 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2017 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2018 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2019 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2020 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2021 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)
• 2022 Municipal Water Use Report (PDF)

The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) rule is part of the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) which requires public water utilities provide consumers more information on their drinking water and opportunities to get involved in protecting their sources of water.

Under the CCR rule, all public water utilities are required to provide consumers with an annual water quality report known as a Consumer Confidence Report. These reports must be delivered to customers by July 1 of each year. Past copies of the Consumer Confidence Report may be viewed below.

• 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2024 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2023 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2022 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2021 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2020 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2019 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2018 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2017 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2016 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2015 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2014 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2013 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2012 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2011 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2010 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2009 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2008 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2007 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2006 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2005 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2004 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)
• 2003 Consumer Confidence Report (PDF)

Hardness is caused by compounds of calcium and magnesium, and by a variety of other metals. Water is an excellent solvent and readily dissolves minerals it comes in contact with. As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution. Calcium and magnesium dissolved in water are the two most common minerals that make water "hard."

The hardness of water is referred to by three types of measurements: grains per gallon, milligrams per liter (mg/L), or parts per million (ppm). Typically, the water produced by the City of Abilene is considered "hard" to "very hard." The table below is provided as a reference.

WATER HARDNESS SCALE

 City of Abilene Water Hardness

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes standards for drinking water which fall into two categories — Primary Standards and Secondary Standards. Primary Standards are based on health considerations and Secondary Standards are based on aesthetics such as taste, odor, color, or corrosivity.

There is no Primary or Secondary standard for water hardness. In fact, the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) states that hard drinking water generally contributes a small amount toward total calcium and magnesium human dietary needs (National Research Council, Drinking Water and Health, Volume 3, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1980). On average, the calcium levels found in the water delivered by the City of Abilene could contribute between 14% to 21% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of calcium for an adult.

 Hardness does not pose a health risk to the public and is not regulated by state or federal agencies. But hard water can be a nuisance due to the mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures and poor soap and detergent performance. It often causes aesthetic problems, such as an alkali taste to the water that makes coffee taste bitter; build-up of scale on pipes and fixtures than can lead to lower water pressure; build-up of deposits on dishes, utensils and laundry basins; difficulty in getting soap and detergent to foam; and lowered efficiency of electric water heaters.

Water customers may treat hard water by adding a water softener to laundry and the dishwasher or by installing a water softener system to treat all of your household water. The City does not provide a recommendation for the public with respect to installing water softener systems; the decision to soften water is a personal one and should be done following one's own analysis and research.

Turfgrass Watering

The City of Abilene realizes that businesses and homeowners invest substantial dollars to keep their lawns and landscapes beautiful. Amid drought conditions, outside watering becomes more prevalent as property owners seek to keep plant life sustained until rain can replenish the lawn or garden's thirst naturally.

K-State Research and Extension has prepared a variety of resources that provide homeowners and business owners with the information needed to get the most from watering. In an on-going effort to educate the public about water conservation measures, the City has linked to several of these resources so the public can learn how to protect their important investment.

• KSU Horticulture Report: Watering Your Lawn
• KSU Horticulture Report: Maintaining Good Lawns with Less Water
• KSU Research and Extension Professional Series: Turfgrass Selection
• KSU Turf and Irrigation Videos

Watering New Trees and Shrubs

Newly planted trees have not established the extensive root system needed to absorb enough water during hot, dry, windy summers. Even trees two or three years old should receive special care.

Deep, infrequent watering and mulch can help trees become established. Newly transplanted trees need at least ten gallons of water per week, and on sandy soft soils they will need that much applied twice a week. The secret is getting the water to soak deeply into the soil, so it evaporates more slowly and is available to the tree's roots longer.

One way to do this is to punch a small hole in the side of a five-gallon bucket and fill it with water. Let the water dribble out slowly next to the tree. Refill the bucket once and you have applied ten gallons. Very large transplanted trees and trees that were transplanted two or three years ago will require more water.

A perforated soaker hose is a great way to water a newly established bed or foundation plantings. In sunbaked soil, you may need to rough up the surface with a hoe or tiller to get the water to infiltrate easily. It may be helpful to set a timer to help you remember to move the hose or shut off the water valve.

If you are seeing surface run-off, reduce the flow, or build a berm with at least a four-foot diameter around the base of the tree to allow water to percolate down through the soil instead of spreading out.

Regardless of the method used, soil should be wet at least twelve inches deep. Use a metal rod, wooden dowel, electric fence post or something similar to check depth. Dry soil is much harder to push through than wet.