What does a new commercial water meter cost in Glendale, and when is it set?

Section 33-53(c) fixes the order: "The City shall install water meters prior to inspection of rough plumbing." The same subsection says the city "shall charge and the owner or his/her authorized representative shall pay the fee established by resolution of the City Council, prior to the installation of water meters." Where the city installs meters of 2 inches or less, the fee is paid in advance. For meters over 2 inches, subsection (b) calls for a cash deposit in an amount set by resolution to cover the cost, with any unused part refunded and any shortfall charged.

The owner builds the rest of the service. Section 33-18(a) says the owner or authorized representative of every residential, commercial and industrial parcel "shall furnish and install all water lines, service connections, water meter boxes, valves, fittings, and appurtenances" needed for each service, and that the city approves all materials. Section 33-18(d) says services are located nearest the center of the lot, within 18 inches of the back line of proposed sidewalks and not within a proposed driveway, and that other locations need the city's written approval.

Section 33-24 says "Proper water meter size shall be determined in accordance with tables provided for such purpose in the Uniform Plumbing Code as adopted and amended by the City." Section 9-16 of Chapter 9 adopts the 2024 International Plumbing Code, not the UPC, so the section's wording does not match the adopted code. Ask the plan reviewer which sizing tables the city applies before you size a service from either book.

Two official schedules apply, and both are dated:

• Meter set fee. The Community Development Fee Schedule effective May 10, 2019, lists water meter fees by size: $126.73 at 3/4 inch, $221.80 at 1 inch, $506.99 at 1.5 inch and $633.75 at 2 inch. It lists $1,901.26 at 3 inch and up to $9,686.26 at 8 inch, though 33-53(b) calls for a deposit toward actual cost above 2 inches, and 33-55(c) says taps and meters over 2 inches are billed actual cost of materials and labor. A newer schedule may exist.
• Utility impact fee. The Development Impact Fee Schedule, updated 06/24/2026, lists East Glendale fees per meter, water plus wastewater: $7,125 at 3/4 inch, $11,898 at 1 inch, $23,725 at 1.5 inch, $37,973 at 2 inch, $76,018 at 3 inch, $118,764 at 4 inch, $237,459 at 6 inch and $379,948 at 8 inch. For West Glendale it lists $0 for all meter sizes. The schedule does not draw the East and West line, so ask Development Services which applies to your parcel.

The city's own worked example on that schedule is for accessory dwelling units. If an ADU would force a home's 3/4 inch meter up to 1 inch, the ADU fee is the difference, $4,773 ($11,898 minus $7,125).

Section 28-134(a)(1) says development impact fees "shall be paid before issuance of a building permit." Section 28-134(a)(3) adds that "No building permit, water or sewer connection, or certificate of occupancy shall be issued if a development impact fee is not paid." If no building permit is needed but a water connection is, the fee is paid when the water service connection is purchased.

Two parts of 28-134 matter for tenant work and expansions:

• Expansions. If the permit is for a change in building use, more square footage, or an addition to a point of demand, the fee is assessed on the additional service units.
• No new demand. No fee is owed under 28-134(b)(2) when modifications do not add service units, increase the impact of existing service units, or change the land use to a category with a higher fee.

For a commercial development, 28-134(c)(2) holds the fee schedule in force for 24 months from final approval of the site plan or plat.

• Meter set fee. The charge to have the city install the meter, set by council resolution.
• Development impact fee. A one-time charge for system capacity, assessed by meter size for utilities.
• Service unit. The unit of demand the fee is based on. The sections read here do not define it.
• Rough plumbing inspection. The inspection before pipes are covered. Glendale's 33-53(c) puts the meter ahead of it.

Developers and owners of new commercial, industrial and multifamily projects, and tenants whose work adds a meter or increases an existing one. It does not apply if the work adds no service units and no meter changes, because 28-134(b)(2) says no fee is owed on modifications that add none of the listed demand.

A pad building in East Glendale. The plans size a 1.5 inch service. The East Glendale impact fee for that size is $23,725, a $11,827 jump from a 1 inch meter at $11,898. The meter size comes from the plumbing plans, so it pays to confirm the sizing before the plans go in.

A restaurant tenant improvement. The tenant keeps the existing meter and adds fixtures behind it. If that adds no new service units under 28-134(b)(2), no impact fee is owed. Added demand changes that answer.

The edge case, where the answer flips. The same 1 inch meter in West Glendale carries $0 on the schedule while East Glendale carries $11,898. The meter is the same size, and the bill is not.

1. 1Get the meter size from the plumbing plan fixture count and confirm which sizing table the plan reviewer uses.
2. 2Ask the Development Services Center which of the two areas your parcel is in, East or West Glendale.
3. 3Budget the impact fee against the current schedule and pay it before the building permit issues.
4. 4Pay the meter set fee in advance so the city can set the meter before rough plumbing inspection.
5. 5Build the service line, box and valves with city-approved materials and put the meter where 33-18(d) allows.
6. 6For a meter over 2 inches, expect a deposit toward actual cost rather than a flat fee.

• Myth: the meter set fee is the meter cost. The set fee is small. The impact fee is what scales with size.
• Myth: a bigger meter is cheap insurance. On the schedule the East Glendale fee roughly doubles from 1 inch to 1.5 inch.
• Myth: the impact fee can wait until the meter is set. Section 28-134 ties it to the building permit.
• Myth: any fee list you find is current. Section 28-128(b) says the actual fees are adopted by council resolution in fee schedules noting the date the fee becomes effective, so use the dated schedule.

The code is on Municode under Chapters 28 and 33, and the two fee schedules are linked above. This page explains them and the official text governs.