Chandler takes the opposite position from Scottsdale on ADU utilities. Its ordinance requires a casita to be served by the same water, sewer, and electric providers and meters as the primary residence, which means no second electric meter, no second water meter, and one set of bills. That simplifies the utility side and lowers the connection cost, but it puts all the weight on one question: can your house's electrical panel carry a second home? Here is how each connection works on a Chandler lot, what we verify, and what it costs.
The short version
In Chandler, your ADU shares your home's water meter, sewer service, and electric meter. Power comes from your home's panel through a dedicated feed to an ADU subpanel. There is no separate meter to apply for and no second address to request.
Distance from your home's lines to the ADU is still the biggest driver of utility cost. Because the electric feed runs from your panel rather than from a utility connection point, we also have some freedom to route it along the shortest path.
What Chandler's ordinance says
Chandler adopted Ordinance 5113 in December 2024 to implement Arizona's ADU law. Its utility clause is one sentence: the ADU shall be "served by the same water, sewer, and electric-utility providers and meters as the primary residence" (City of Chandler Ordinance 5113). The City's detached-buildings chart repeats the same language. If you want the casita on its own utility accounts in a tenant's name, Chandler is not the city for that. If you want the simplest, cheapest connection, it is.
Sewer: shared service, confirmed at plan review
Your ADU connects to your home's sewer service, not to a new City account. One wrinkle: Chandler's wastewater code says a separate sewer tap is provided for each separate structure unless the City Engineer waives it, while the ADU ordinance points to shared service. In practice the ADU ties into the house's building sewer on private property, and we confirm that path with Civil Engineering as part of plan review so there's no surprise at inspection.
What we verify at the site visit:
- Grade. Sewer flows by gravity. If the ADU sits lower than your home's line, a small ejector pump may be needed.
- Pipe size and condition. We confirm a 4-inch line. Older homes may get a camera inspection first; damaged pipe is replaced as a change order.
- Easements. State law bars building an ADU over a public utility easement without written consent from the utilities that use it. We check the plat before we place the unit.
- Septic lots. If your home is on septic, Maricopa County Environmental Services reviews the system for the added load before the City will issue a permit.
Water: one meter, certified at plan review
Your ADU tees off your home's water line after the existing City meter, with its own shutoff valve. Chandler requires a water meter certificate with sizing calculations during plan review for residential water services, signed by the architect or engineer, and system development and meter fees apply to any certified meter that's new or larger (City of Chandler water meter certificate). We run the fixture count for your house plus the ADU and certify your existing meter when it carries the load, which it usually does for a one-bedroom unit.
- Meter size check. If the combined fixture count exceeds your current meter, the City requires an upsize, and Chandler's system development fees apply to the larger size.
- Optional private submeter. Renting the unit? A submeter on the ADU's line lets you track its water use and bill a tenant. The City doesn't read it; you do. Arizona's tenant-billing rules are in our separate meter vs. submeter guide.
Electric: from your panel, and the panel is the whole question
Because Chandler requires the same electric meter as the house, your ADU is fed from your home's electrical service: a dedicated breaker in the main panel, a feeder in conduit to the casita, and an ADU subpanel. Chandler is split between SRP and APS, but since no new service is being set, the provider only matters for your rate plan.
- Load calculation first. A second dwelling with its own AC, water heater, range, and dryer is a real load. Most homes with a 200-amp service carry a one-bedroom ADU. Older 100-amp or 125-amp services often don't.
- If the panel is short. The fix is a main service upgrade on the house, which involves the utility and adds cost. In other cities we'd compare that against a separate ADU meter; in Chandler the upgrade is the only path, so we price it early.
- Solar owners win here. With one meter, rooftop solar on the house offsets the casita's usage too. That's the opposite of what happens with a separate meter, and it's covered in our meter guide.
- Demand plans. If you're on an SRP or APS demand rate, the ADU's afternoon AC load stacks onto your peak. Worth a look at your plan when the unit comes online.
What it costs in Chandler
Utility connections are priced per linear foot of trench plus fixed connection items. Your proposal shows the measured run lengths for your site. With no separate meter or address, Chandler's fixed items are lower than most cities.
Standard connections
| Item | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Sewer line, ADU to home's line | $65 / LF | Trench, 4" pipe, bedding, backfill, compaction |
| Sewer tie-in + cleanout | $1,200 each | Connection to your home's line, required cleanout |
| Water line, in shared sewer trench | $20 / LF | Pipe and fittings in the same trench as sewer |
| Water line, separate trench | $35 / LF | Trench, pipe, fittings, backfill |
| Water tie-in + ADU shutoff valve | $750 | Tee after your City meter, dedicated ADU shutoff |
| Water meter certificate | Included | Fixture-unit calculation and signed certificate for plan review |
| Electric trench + conduit | $40 / LF | Trench and conduit from your main panel to the ADU |
| Feed from home's panel + ADU subpanel | $3,500 | Breaker, feeder, ADU subpanel, grounding, load calculation |
| City fees | At cost | City of Chandler permit and any meter fees, passed through with no markup |
Add-ons and site conditions
| Item | Price | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Main service upgrade on the house | Quoted per project | Only if the load calculation shows your existing panel can't carry the ADU |
| Water submeter on ADU line | $750 | Optional, for rental billing |
| Sewer camera inspection | $350 | Older homes or unknown pipe condition |
| Sewer pump (ejector) | $4,500 allowance | Only if the ADU sits too low for gravity flow |
| Water meter upsize | City fees at cost + $1,500 | Only if the fixture calculation exceeds your current meter |
| Caliche, rock, or hardscape removal | Cost + 25% | Found during excavation |
Example: a 40-foot run with shared sewer and water trench, a separate 40-foot electric feed, and the ADU subpanel comes to about $10,450 before City fees, assuming your existing panel carries the load.
What moves the number
- Your electrical service. An adequate 200-amp panel keeps Chandler the least expensive city in the Valley for utility connections. A service upgrade is the biggest swing.
- Distance. Every foot between your home's lines and the ADU is priced. We place the ADU and route trenches to keep runs short.
- Your water meter. An adequate existing meter means no upsize and no added system development fees.
- Soil and existing conditions. Caliche, old sewer pipe, or a shallow lateral add scope.
What this pricing assumes
- Pricing applies to City of Chandler projects. For other cities see our posts for Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, and unincorporated Maricopa County.
- Run lengths are measured at the site visit and confirmed on the permit site plan.
- City fees are billed at cost, as invoiced.
- Excludes a main service upgrade, gas service, relocation of existing utilities, landscape and hardscape restoration beyond the trench, and repairs to existing home systems.
- Requirements reflect City of Chandler Ordinance 5113 and utility policies as of September 2026 and may change.
We run this for you
In Chandler the utility question comes down to your panel and your meter, and we answer both with a load calculation and a fixture count before the plans are drawn. Building a casita in Chandler? Check your property or call 480-660-3133.
Sources: City of Chandler Ordinance 5113 (Section 35-2202.2); City of Chandler Detached Buildings chart (January 2025); Chandler City Code Chapter 51 (Wastewater Service); Chandler Technical Design Manual 1&2 and Water Meter Certificate UDM-115; Maricopa County Onsite Wastewater Guide for Homeowners. City policies, utility requirements, and fees change; verify current requirements with the City of Chandler and your utility before making design decisions. Pricing shown is SOKO's standard connection pricing as of September 2026 and is confirmed in your written proposal.
