On October 10, 2026, Waikoloa Village households moved to new water and sewer rates. Most of the extra cost on the bill comes from the sewer side. West Hawaii Sewer Company now charges a monthly standby of $114.16 per living unit, up from $91.92 a year earlier. It also charges $3.1598 for every 1,000 gallons of metered water. Homes on County sewer in Kona or Hilo pay a flat residential fee of $52 a month.
That gap matters when you set a Waikoloa Village home next to one in Kona, Waimea or Hilo. Many buyers assume a private utility makes the water expensive. At normal household use, Village water costs about what County water costs. The sewer charge is what differs, and it grows with every gallon that runs through the water meter.
Two private companies, one bill to budget for
Waikoloa Village isn't on the County water system. West Hawaii Water Company supplies drinking water and West Hawaii Sewer Company handles wastewater. Both are regulated by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and owned by Hawaii Water Service. Waikoloa Beach Resort, down the hill, is served by a separate company, West Hawaii Utility Company. Everything in this post is about the Village.
The current rates come from PUC Docket 2024-0224. In that case the utility asked for a 67.9% revenue increase for the water company and 55.3% for the sewer company. Those were requests, not the approved amounts. In October 2025, Hawaii Water Service announced that the PUC had approved $4.7 million in added annual revenue across its Waikoloa systems. It tied the increase to about $33 million invested in Waikoloa since 2019, including wells, sewer pump stations, backup generators, pipelines and treatment plants. The approved rates came in two steps. Step one began October 9, 2025, and step two took effect October 10, 2026. Big Island Now's 2025 coverage of the approval quoted step-one figures, and those numbers are now out of date.
Here's how the residential standby charges changed between the two steps:
| Charge | Step 1, Oct. 9, 2025 | Step 2, Oct. 10, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Water standby, 5/8" or 3/4" meter | $19.67 | $28.70 |
| Water use, per 1,000 gallons | $2.0701 | $3.0547 |
| Sewer standby, per living unit | $91.92 | $114.16 |
| Sewer charge, per 1,000 gallons of metered water | $2.5442 | $3.1598 |
Water alone looks a lot like the County's
Compare that with the County of Hawaii Department of Water Supply, which serves most of the island. As of its schedule effective July 1, 2026, the County's monthly standby for a 5/8" residential meter is $35.93, which is higher than the Village's $28.70. The County prices water in tiers. The first 5,000 gallons cost $1.64 per 1,000, the next 10,000 cost $3.57, usage from 15,001 to 40,000 gallons costs $6.28, and anything above that costs $8.34.
Both systems also add a power cost charge per 1,000 gallons. As of October 1, 2026, the County's is $3.04, plus a $0.05 energy charge. West Hawaii Water Company's power charge moves with its electricity costs, based on a formula in the tariff. Since that charge changes from month to month, the comparison below leaves both power charges out.
Where the bills split
The figures below are my own math from the published tariffs, not bills issued by either utility. They cover standby and usage charges for one residential unit and leave out power cost charges and taxes.
| Monthly use | Village water | Village sewer | Village total | County water | County sewer | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 gallons | $43.97 | $129.96 | $173.93 | $44.13 | $52.00 | $96.13 |
| 10,000 gallons | $59.25 | $145.76 | $205.01 | $61.98 | $52.00 | $113.98 |
| 20,000 gallons | $89.79 | $177.36 | $267.15 | $111.23 | $52.00 | $163.23 |
The water columns are close at every level. At 20,000 gallons the Village actually comes out lower, because the County's third tier is pricier than the Village's single rate. Nearly all of the difference sits in the sewer column, and it grows as use goes up. The County's sewer fee is flat. The Village sewer charge applies to every 1,000 gallons of metered water that West Hawaii Water Company delivers.
So water used outside the house is billed twice. On a single meter, water for a lawn or plantings is charged once as water and again as sewer, even though none of it goes down a drain. Before any power cost charge, each extra 1,000 gallons adds about $6.21 to a Village bill. A County customer in the second tier pays $3.57 for that same 1,000 gallons, with no sewer charge on top.
Under the tariff, readings from separate meters on the same property are billed separately and not added together. The one exception is when the water company itself installs meters in parallel on the same supply pipe. For new developments, the water company can also require recorded CC&Rs that include irrigation limits and dual meters to measure yard water. Whether a home you're considering has one meter or two, and whether it falls under any covenant like that, is worth asking about before you write an offer.
The County has proposed raising its sewer fee in January
The County's flat fee may not stay at $52. Hawaii County's Department of Environmental Management has proposed raising the residential sewer fee from $52 to $63 on January 1, 2027. Further steps would follow each January, reaching $125 in 2031. The department lists County Council readings for this fall, so treat those figures as proposed until the Council acts. Even with the increases, the department says County sewer rates will stay about 50% below the state average.
If the proposal passes, the flat-fee gap narrows in 2027. Even then, the Village sewer charge would still rise with water use and the County fee would not.
A dry town, already asked to cut back
On September 30, 2026, Hawaii Water posted a mandatory conservation advisory for every Waikoloa customer:
"Hawaii Water is implementing a mandatory conservation advisory for all Waikoloa customers to reduce non-essential water use by 25%, as we work through significant repairs to 4 of our 8 groundwater wells."
The advisory says the affected wells draw from about 1,300 feet below ground. Their specialized replacement parts face long manufacturing and delivery times, and the company expected the notice to last about two to three months. It asks customers to irrigate only between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. and to shut irrigation off when it rains and for 48 hours afterward. It also says the system is still meeting current customer needs. At the start of the advisory, the conservation the utility requested and the incentive in the sewer tariff point the same way.
What to confirm on a specific Village property
- Sewer connection. West Hawaii Sewer Company covers Waikoloa Village broadly, but confirm whether a particular parcel is actually connected. A lot on an individual wastewater system wouldn't carry this charge, and it would bring a different set of questions.
- Number of living units. The sewer standby is billed per living unit, so the count on the property affects the fixed part of the bill.
- Meter setup. Ask whether irrigation runs through the house meter, how the meter is sized, and whether recorded covenants limit irrigation.
- Recent bills. Ask for bills from after October 10, 2026. Bills from before that date reflect step-one rates and will understate the current cost.
- The yard you're buying. Large lawns and thirsty plantings count toward both the water and sewer lines.
This is general information about published utility tariffs and proposed County rates, not legal or financial advice. Please confirm your own property and budget with the utility and your lender.
Quick answers
Does this apply to Waikoloa Beach Resort condos? No. The resort is served by West Hawaii Utility Company, which has its own rates.
Are more Village rate steps scheduled? The approved schedule has two steps, and the second took effect October 10, 2026.
Is the conservation advisory still in effect? Check Hawaii Water's alert page for the latest. The September 30 notice estimated two to three months.
Utility costs are part of what you'll pay every month, so they belong in your budget before you make an offer. When you're comparing Waikoloa Village with Kona or Waimea, Noelani Spencer can help you gather recent bills, confirm the sewer connection and meter setup, and work real carrying costs into your plan. Let's connect and request your free home valuation.
