Wastewater Capacity Reservation Letter - Wastewater

You, the property owner or authorized agent, must apply for a Wastewater Capacity Reservation letter if you are:

• Proposing a new development
• Adding to an existing development
• Converting an existing development
• Increasing occupancy within an existing development
• Abandoning water well or septic system/private wastewater plant and proposing to connect to the City of Houston’s sewer and water facilities.
• Remodeling (interior/exterior) an existing commercial development.
• Requesting if capacity from the previous owner exists on the property
• Disconnecting from the community sewer and proposing connection to the City’s sewer
• Needing information on existing capacity at a site
• Proposing to connect to a privately built sewer
• Building in a Municipal Utility District (MUD)

A WCR Letter will:

• Determine if there are adequate and available wastewater and water utilities to serve the proposed development
• Identify the point of connection to the City's wastewater and water utilities
• Determine if impact fees are due

Fees

Impact fees are based on the number of service units and the utility availability. Credits may be given for conversions or for the removal of existing development. Review the Application Fee Schedule and Impact Fee Service Unit Equivalent Table to estimate your fees.

• Wastewater: $1,662.17 per service unit plus an administrative fee
• Water: $1,658.56 per service unit plus an administrative fee

Valid Period

• Unpaid: 6 Months
• Paid: until capacity is used

• Unpaid: 6 months
• Paid: 2 years

• What You Need
• Apply Online
• Apply in Person
• Conditions & Exceptions
• Additional Resources

You will need to provide a:

• Completed WCR application (submitted via iPermits portal)
• Recorded deed
  • In lieu of a recorded deed, we will accept a County Tax Authority printout if the owner's information on the printout is consistent with the owner's information on the WCR application and the property is located within a platted subdivision.
  • Additional proof of ownership(s) include: general warranty deed, deed of trust, title insurance, title report, and city planning letter.
  1. Log in or create an iPermits Account.
  2. Complete the WCR application and upload the required documents. Please allow for 10 business days for the request to be completed.

  Shopping Center Approval/Denial letter must be submitted by email to: [email protected] prior to the scheduled appointment.

  To schedule an appointment with Impact Fee Administration, contact the manager or supervisor by email or phone:

  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • Call 832.394.8888 and ask to speak with Erica Montano, Ava Mickle, Nikkia Thomas, or Deidre VanLangen.
  Apply in Person

  Effective June 1, 2020, the Impact Fee Administration section will operate by appointment only, with a paperless policy. For the safety of our customers and our employees we will not be accepting paper documents at scheduled appointments.

  Customers are required to submit their WCR application and documents through the iPermits portal.

  Shopping Center Approval/Denial letter must be submitted by email to: [email protected] prior to the scheduled appointment.

  We encourage our customers to apply online.

  To schedule an appointment with Impact Fee Administration, contact the manager or supervisor by email or phone:

  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • Call 832.394.8888 and ask to speak with Erica Montano, Ava Mickle, Nikkia Thomas, or Deidre VanLangen.
  Conditions & Exceptions

  Expedited Review

  The Expedited Reservation application procedure is designed to expedite receipt of a water and wastewater capacity reservation letter. To qualify for approval under this procedure, the proposed development:

  • Cannot exceed fifteen (15) service units
  • Must have an assigned address (i.e. not a 0 or vacant address), email [email protected] to obtain an address.
  • Must be minimum 8-inch to maximum 36-inch sanitary sewer line fronting the property or in the easement, must not be served by a community sewer line, must be within City Limits and a line must “not” run through the property
  • Must be minimum 6-inch water line but not 20-inch or larger fronting the property or in the easement, must be within City Limits and a line must “not” run through the property
  • Must have a tenant list if it is a multi-tenant commercial property (i.e. retail and shopping center)

  High Impact Review

  A high impact review is required when:

  • Tthe service units exceed fifteen (15)
  • Smaller than an 8-inch sanitary sewer line
  • Larger than a 36-inch sanitary sewer line
  • Served by a community sewer line
  • Sewer line is located within the property
  • Sewer line not fronting or in the easement of the property
  • Not within City Limits
  • Located within a HCMUD
  • Smaller than a 6-inch water line
  • Larger than a 20-inch water line
  • Water line running through the property
  • Water line not fronting or in the easement of the property
  • Not within City Limits
  • Located within a HCMUD

  Please use GIMS to identify the above items.