Why are Hanover PA water & Sewer Bills so High?
Water and sewer bills are high in Hanover, PA because Hanover Borough raised its water price for 2026, Penn Township raised its separate sewer charges, and minimum service charges remain even when you use less water. Higher water use, including leaks, can add to both charges. Some statements also include trash and stormwater fees.
TLDR: What to know about your bill
Same water use can cost more: Borough water prices rose; Penn Township sewer prices also changed.
Your address matters: A Hanover mailing address does not mean every home pays the same rates.
You can reduce avoidable use: Check showerheads, faucets, laundry habits, older toilets and leaks.
Some charges stay: Saving water will not erase minimum sewer charges, trash fees or stormwater charges.
Rates and sources checked November 2, 2026.
First, check who bills your home
For homeowners looking for a plumber in Hanover, PA, the billing provider is worth checking first. A Hanover mailing address does not automatically put a property inside Hanover Borough. Penn Township’s resident guide says Hanover Borough supplies and bills its water, while the Township bills sewer service separately. Other nearby municipalities can have different sewer schedules. Check the service address, municipality and provider shown on each statement before comparing your bill with a neighbor’s. Penn Township resident guide
The examples below cover residential Hanover Borough and Penn Township schedules. They are illustrations, not estimates for every household with a Hanover ZIP code.
Hanover Borough: same water use, higher price per gallon
For Borough residential customers, the price of water went from $3.79 to $5.0156 per 1,000 gallons, effective January 1, 2026. You pay 32.3% more for the water itself. That percentage applies to the price per 1,000 gallons; other charges on the bill are calculated separately. For a 5/8-inch meter, you also pay a $26.55 water service charge every three months. That charge stayed the same. 2025 budget, current inside-Borough rate sheet
Use 12,000 gallons over three months, and you pay $14.71 more for water than you did at the old price. If your increase is much larger, check the gallons, dates and other charges on the bill too.
The Borough says it raised the price to match what its water customers outside the Borough pay. Those outside prices are regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The Borough’s 2026 budget kept its sewer rates unchanged. 2026 budget, page 27
Penn Township has a separate sewer increase
Penn Township’s sewer schedule effective August 31, 2026 lists $67 for the first 7,000 gallons per quarter, then $7 for each additional 1,000 gallons. The earlier schedule charged $55 and $6, respectively. At 12,000 gallons, the scheduled sewer charge goes from $85 to $102 per quarter: a $17 increase for the same consumption. Current schedule, earlier schedule
The Township says it needed more money to cover treatment, repairs and improvements. Its explanation points to an aging treatment plant, sewer pipes that need work and the cost of meeting treatment requirements. The April flyer explained the proposed increase; the later rate sheet gives the current prices above. Ask the billing office which dates your bill covers. Township explanation
Some charges stay the same when you use less water
The treatment plant still runs, pipes still need repairs and staff still maintain the system when your family uses less water. Hanover’s budget says money collected for its utilities is intended to cover their costs, including equipment and infrastructure. That explains why the bill includes more than the water flowing through your faucet. 2026 budget, page 21
For Borough sewer service, the minimum is $71.28 per quarter for up to 7,000 gallons. The next 18,000 gallons cost $8.92 per 1,000. That means a Borough home using 4,000 gallons pays the same minimum sewer charge as one using 7,000 gallons. Its water charge will be lower. Borough fee schedule, § A401-5
Extra water can affect two charges
The Borough generally calculates your sewer charge from the water recorded by your meter. That means a running toilet can add to the water charge and, once consumption exceeds the sewer minimum, the sewer charge too. Borough sewer-rent rules
For a Borough home using between 7,000 and 25,000 gallons in three months, an extra 1,000 gallons costs about $13.94 in combined usage charges: $5.0156 for water plus $8.92 for sewer. This example applies when all those extra gallons fall between 7,000 and 25,000 gallons for the quarter. The regular service charges are separate.
For example, cutting your use from 6,000 to 5,000 gallons saves about $5.02 on water. Your sewer charge stays at $71.28 because both totals are below 7,000 gallons. Using less water still saves money, but it won’t erase the minimum charge.
Your bill may include trash and stormwater charges
Hanover Borough’s 2026 budget lists refuse at $81 per dwelling per quarter and stormwater at $66.44 per equivalent residential unit per year. Those are different services. Shorter showers do not lower them. Check which charges are included on your statement and compare the same billing period each time. 2026 utility rates, page 15
What 12,000 gallons costs in Hanover Borough
Assume a residential property with a 5/8-inch meter and 12,000 gallons of water use in one quarter:
Component | Calculation | Amount |
Water service charge | Charge for the meter, every three months | $26.55 |
Water used | 12 × $5.0156 | $60.19 |
Minimum sewer charge | First 7,000 gallons | $71.28 |
Sewer above the minimum | Remaining 5,000 gallons × $8.92 per 1,000 | $44.60 |
Water + sewer | Rounded to cents | $202.62 |
This is an example, not an average household bill. Trash, stormwater, any garbage-disposal charge, penalties, payment fees and old balances are extra. Your meter size and provider can change the total. Sources: water, sewer.
How to Lower Your Water Bill in Hanover, Pennsylvania
Start with habits and small improvements. Check what you already have before paying to replace working equipment.
Compare your gallons per day. Divide gallons used by the number of days on each bill. Compare the same season last year. If daily use stayed the same, check prices and fees. If it rose, consider guests, extra laundry, outdoor watering or a leak. Ask the utility whether your reading was actual or estimated.
Check your showerhead. Look for the gallons-per-minute marking. Replacing a 2.5-gallon-per-minute head with a 2.0-gallon model uses 20% less water for the same shower length. Look for the WaterSense label and check valve compatibility. If yours already uses less, keep that in mind before replacing it. Shorter showers help too. EPA showerhead guidance
Fit a water-saving bathroom faucet aerator. The aerator is the small fitting at the faucet's tip. A compatible WaterSense model can reduce flow without replacing the faucet. Check the fit and current flow first, and turn the tap off while brushing teeth. Wenger's plumbing repair services can help with worn fixtures and installation questions. EPA bathroom faucet guidance
Run full laundry and dishwasher loads. Scrape plates instead of pre-rinsing them. Skip extra rinses that the laundry does not need. Follow loading and fabric-care instructions without overloading. Cold-water washing mainly saves heating energy; it does not necessarily reduce gallons. When a washer needs replacing, compare water use: ENERGY STAR's general example is 14 gallons per load versus 20 for a standard full-size washer. Models and cycles vary. EPA household guidance, ENERGY STAR washers
Check older toilets before planning a replacement. A 1.28-gallon model saves 2.22 gallons each flush when replacing a toilet that uses 3.5 gallons. The savings are smaller if your existing toilet uses 1.6 gallons. Check the model and installed cost first. Learn about toilet repair and installation if the toilet is worn out or needs repeated repairs. EPA WaterSense toilets
Find leaks at toilets, faucets and the meter. Look for dripping fixtures and damp connections under sinks. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl indicates a leak; flush afterward to prevent staining. Compare meter readings over two hours with all water use off, including automatic appliances and treatment cycles. Unexplained movement deserves investigation, although a quiet test can miss intermittent leaks. Wenger can help with leak repair. EPA leak-check guidance
Have water-treatment settings checked. A softener may regenerate more often than your household needs. Ask a technician to check its settings against tested hardness and water use. If you have reverse osmosis, ask how much water it sends to the drain for each gallon produced. Review water treatment services while preserving the treatment performance your home needs. EPA softeners, EPA reverse osmosis
Review outdoor watering. Check rain and soil conditions before running sprinklers, and aim water at plants rather than pavement. Pennsylvania guidance says established lawns usually do not need routine irrigation, apart from some prolonged dry periods. New grass needs different care. Follow current local restrictions. Pennsylvania lawn-care guide
What a showerhead change could save
Changing from 2.5 to 2.0 gallons per minute saves 1,440 gallons over 90 days if the household takes four eight-minute showers daily. That is about $20.07 in Borough water and sewer charges, if all saved gallons fall between 7,000 and 25,000 gallons of quarterly use. Equipment costs and hot-water energy savings are separate. This is an illustration, not a savings guarantee.
Ask about billing credits before assuming a refund
Hanover Borough’s published rules distinguish water charges from sewer relief. Its water specifications say metered leakage or waste is billed without a consumption adjustment. Its sewer-credit rule provides a limited route when leaked water did not enter the sanitary sewer: a written explanation, plumber documentation, timely repair and no negligence. The rule limits relief to one credit per household, one time only. Water lost through a running toilet into the sewer does not qualify under that rule. Confirm current handling with the Borough. Water specifications, section R, sewer-credit rule
Penn Township and other providers may have different rules. Before buying an irrigation meter or expecting a pool-fill adjustment, ask your sewer provider whether it permits a deduction and what approval, installation and documentation it requires. This research did not establish a universal local pool or irrigation credit.
Call the utility about the bill. Call a plumber about the leak.
For Hanover Borough billing questions, start at 717-637-3877. For Penn Township sewer billing, start at 717-632-7366. Have your account number, service address, billing dates and meter readings ready. If paying the bill is difficult, ask the billing office about available payment arrangements; availability must be confirmed. Borough contact, Penn Township contact
For a running toilet, dripping fixture or suspected plumbing leak, Wenger Services can help investigate and repair the plumbing problem. Call 717-640-6442 or visit Wenger Services. Utility rates and billing credits remain decisions for your provider.
If it’s water, it’s Wenger.
