Tokyo's waterworks base-charge waiver 2026: when, how much, no application needed
In the summer of 2026 (Reiwa 8) as well, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will waive four months' worth of the waterworks base charge. Following 2025, this is the second year in a row, and it covers small-diameter contracts within Tokyo — about 8 million cases. No application at all is required, and it has automatically started being applied from the June 1 meter reading. This article organizes, based on primary information from the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau, from when and by how much your bill goes down, the differences depending on your meter-reading month, cases that fall outside the coverage (sewerage charges, some apartment buildings, Musashino City, etc.), and even the treatment of expenses if you use it for business.
・Period: four months over the summer (application starts from the June 1 meter reading)
・Amount: for a typical household (20 mm diameter), ¥5,148 in total over four months (tax included) is waived
・Procedure: no application needed. Just check whether the base-charge field on your meter-reading slip shows "¥0"
Overview: it covers about 8 million "small-diameter contracts"
As support for Tokyo residents' heat-countermeasures in light of high prices and the intense heat, this is a measure the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau announced on May 15, 2026[Tokyo Waterworks Bureau announcement (in Japanese)]. Because the cost is covered from the metropolitan general account, it is structured so as not to affect the finances of the waterworks business or facility development.
| Covered | Contractors with a water-supply contract with the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau as of June 1 who have a small diameter (13 / 20 / 25 mm) (about 8 million cases; corporations are also covered if small-diameter) |
|---|---|
| What is waived | Only the base charge of the water bill (four months' worth) |
| Period | Four months over the summer (the May–August or June–September portion, depending on the meter-reading month) |
| Application | Not needed (applied automatically) |
| Implementing body | Tokyo Waterworks Bureau (in the 13 municipalities outside the metropolitan waterworks, each municipality implements it) |
How much cheaper? The waived amount by diameter
The amount that is waived is determined by the diameter (nominal bore) of your contracted water meter[Tokyo Waterworks Bureau rate guide (in Japanese)].
| Diameter (nominal bore) | Base charge (monthly, tax excluded) | Waived amount over four months (tax included) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 mm | ¥860 | ¥3,784 |
| 20 mm | ¥1,170 | ¥5,148 |
| 25 mm | ¥1,460 | ¥6,424 |
The "Notice of water and sewerage usage, etc." (meter-reading slip) that arrives in your mailbox once every two months has a nominal-bore field. For detached houses and per-unit apartment contracts, 13 mm or 20 mm is the majority. You can also check your contract details and billed amount in the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau app. Once the waiver starts, the base-charge field on the meter-reading slip shows "¥0."
From when? The covered months differ by meter-reading month
Because water meters are read once every two months, it is applied in sequence from the June 1 meter reading, and which months' portion is waived changes with your meter-reading month[Tokyo Waterworks Bureau rate guide (in Japanese)].
| Meter-reading timing | Months waived |
|---|---|
| Households read in even months (June, August…) | The "May–June portion" and "July–August portion" |
| Households read in odd months (July, September…) | The "June–July portion" and "August–September portion" |
In other words, for households read in odd months, a base charge of ¥0 is reflected from the meter-reading slip that arrives in July 2026. "This month's meter-reading slip being cheaper than usual" is due to this measure.
What falls outside the coverage / points to note
① The sewerage charge is billed as usual. ② The volume charge for what you use is also as usual. However, because Tokyo's volume charge has a bracket of ¥0 for up to 10 cubic meters per two months, households with low usage will have effectively ¥0 in water charges during the period (the sewerage charge is separate). ③ Large-diameter contracts of 40 mm or more are not covered.
If you live in an apartment building: if you have a contract with the waterworks bureau for each unit (a setup where a meter-reading slip arrives at each unit), you are covered. On the other hand, if the whole building has a large-diameter master-meter contract and the water charge is included in your rent or common-area fee, the contractor is the management company etc., so whether it is passed back to you depends on the management company's response. If you are concerned, check with the management company.
In the 13 municipalities outside the metropolitan waterworks supply area — Musashino City, Akishima City, Hamura City, Hinohara Village, the island areas, and so on — the metropolis provides the funds and each municipality implements a similar waiver. For example, Musashino City has also already announced a four-month summer waiver (because of the city's own rate structure, the waived amount is slightly different, such as ¥3,704 for 13 mm)[Musashino City (in Japanese)]. Please check the guidance from the municipality where you live for the timing and details of implementation.
Note that those who already receive a reduction or exemption of the base charge, such as public-assistance households, do not incur a base charge to begin with, so nothing changes from before.
Treatment for taxes and expenses: no tax for individuals; for businesses, "only what you paid is an expense"
This waiver is not a benefit where money is transferred to you; it is a form where you are not billed in the first place (it is a discount). Because no income arises, individuals incur no income tax or residence tax, and no procedures such as a tax return are needed at all. There is also no income requirement like a benefit for residence-tax-exempt households, and with a small-diameter contract, all households are covered.
If you use it for business, such as a shop or office (with a small-diameter contract, corporations and sole proprietors are also covered): the water charge you can expense is the amount actually paid. For the four waived months, there is simply no payment of the base charge, so the utilities cost you record decreases; no special processing is required. The same applies if you apportion the water charge for household use and record it as an expense in a home that doubles as an office — the payment amount that forms the basis of apportionment simply decreases.
Household support for summer 2026 to check alongside this
・The national subsidy for electricity and gas charges has resumed in the summer of 2026 → Resumption of electricity and gas subsidies
・For replacing an air conditioner or refrigerator → Tokyo Zero Emi Points / Subsidies for energy-saving appliances and air-conditioner replacement
・For a roundup of subsidies with approaching deadlines → Roundup of subsidies due in July
Summary
FAQ
Is an application needed for the waterworks waiver?
Not needed. If you have a small-diameter (13 / 20 / 25 mm) water-supply contract with the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau as of June 1, 2026, it is applied automatically. You can confirm it by whether the base-charge field on your meter-reading slip shows "¥0."
From when to when is it cheaper?
It is four months over the summer of 2026, and application has started from the June 1 meter reading. Households read in even months are covered for the "May–June portion" and "July–August portion," and households read in odd months for the "June–July portion" and "August–September portion."
Are the sewerage charge and the charge for what I use also free?
No. Only the waterworks base charge is waived; the sewerage charge and volume charge are as usual. However, because the volume charge has a bracket of ¥0 for up to 10 cubic meters per two months, households with low usage will have effectively ¥0 in water charges during the period.
Are apartment residents and Musashino City residents also covered?
If you have a contract with the waterworks bureau for each unit, you are covered. For buildings where the water charge is included in rent or common-area fees (a large-diameter master-meter contract), it depends on the management company's response, so check with them. The 13 municipalities outside the metropolitan waterworks — Musashino City, Akishima City, Hamura City, Hinohara Village, the island areas, etc. — implement it themselves with funding provided by the metropolis (Musashino City has already implemented it).
Reference links (sources)
This article is based on the following official materials (neutral, primary sources). For details and the latest information on the system, always confirm officially.
- Tokyo Waterworks Bureau — Press release (May 15, 2026): waiver of the water bill's base charge (in Japanese)
- Tokyo Waterworks Bureau — Rate guide "We will waive the base charge of the water bill" (in Japanese)
- Musashino City — Waiver of the water bill's base charge (an example outside the metropolitan waterworks) (in Japanese)
* This article is general information, not administrative or tax advice. For the treatment of an individual contract, confirm with the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau or the municipality where you live; for tax judgments, confirm with a tax office or a tax accountant.