The Tampa Water Department Development Services team works with property developers and homeowners who need to set up new or change existing water service connections on residential and commercial properties.
Typical reasons for needing a new water service connection include:
- Building new construction on undeveloped land
- Redeveloping an existing buildings or land
- Adding to an existing building
- Creating a separate service connection from a master meter
How to Establish a New Water Service Connection ¶
Confirm that we are your water service provider
The Tampa Water Department provides drinking water to customers located in the City of Tampa as well as parts of unincorporated Hillsborough County.
- Use our Address Look Up app to see if we are the water service provider at your property’s site address.
- If we are not the water service provider, you will need to contact the appropriate utility to set up water service. Here are some quick links for your reference:
Gather required documentation
Every application for a new water service connection must include supporting documentation. The types of documents you need to provide will depend on the specific requirements of your project.
- Only one (1) domestic water meter is permitted for each residence or legal description.
- For a single-family home or duplex: You will need to file a separate application for each residence. A $50 application fee will be required for each application. Additional fees may apply and will be outlined in the commitment for water service issued by the Water Department.
- For multi-family homes or commercial development: A separate application fee is required for each individual application. Additional fees may apply and will be outlined in the commitment for water service issued by the Water Department.
Submit your application and pay associated fees
Requests for new water service requests can be processed in one of two ways:
- Online: Log into the City of Tampa Accela Citizen Access system to start the application process.
Submit original signed copies of a completed pre-construction owner/developer agreement
Your project will not be released to construction until the Water Department has received three signed copies of the appropriate owner / developer agreements (with the original signatures) and the commitment fee payment.
Submit a completed post-construction owner/developer agreement
Certificates of Occupancy will not be issued until the Water Department receives three (3) original copies of certifications, signed and sealed by your engineer, of the materials and construction costs associated with your project.
Supporting Documentation You May Need to Provide
You will need to provide a variety of documentation to support your water services application. The types of documents needed will vary depending on the size and scope of your project. The Water Department will contact you if we need additional documents to complete our review of your application.
| Document | Always Required | Sometimes Required | Property Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof of property ownership (preferably a deed) | When ownership is not verifiable with County Property Appraiser's Office) | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Signed authorization form from the property owner granting your company the right to sign the application | When the applicant is not the owner | Single-family home or duplex | |
| A detailed site plan for the development indicating the location of the property, the location and size of the building(s), site roadways, outside piping, project frontage on public right-of-way, and proposed new utility piping by others in this area | Always required | Single-family home or duplex | |
| A copy of your final plat | When the subdivision is outside City limits or there is no clear public right of way | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Plumbing plans | Based on your application needs | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Boundary survey | Based on your application needs | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Landscaping and storm drainage plans | Based on your application needs | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Documentation for any special water uses | Based on your application needs | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Benchmark elevation and final grade elevation or statement of no grade changes | Based on your application needs | Single-family home or duplex | |
| Provide both existing and proposed water consumption per day (using the Customer Data Sheet included in your application) | When the property is within a shared development with master metered water services (e.g., strip retail center) | Multi-family homes or commercial development | |
| Current City of Tampa Water Department account information | When the property is within a shared development with master metered water services (e.g., strip retail center) | Multi-family homes or commercial development | |
| ERC Calculation Spreadsheet (included in the Utility Service application) | When your project is located within either the Downtown and South Tampa or Northeast Contribution in Aid of Construction Areas | Multi-family homes or commercial development |
Have questions?
You can e-mail WaterCommitment@tampa.gov to get help with your application.
Your patience is appreciated as your application is reviewed and processed in the order in which it was received.