The Plumbing Cost Index: Q3 2026 Edition, Tracking Plumbing Material and Water Prices Since 2017
The short answer
The Plumbing Cost Index stood at 160.6 in August 2026 against a 2019 base of 100, meaning plumbing materials cost 60.6 percent more than in 2019. Copper and brass mill shapes drive it, reaching 207.1 and contributing about 59 percent of the rise on one third of the weight.
What this page is. A quarterly price index for US plumbing materials and household water costs, built entirely from published Bureau of Labor Statistics series. Every input series is named by its BLS series identifier so any reader can reproduce the calculation. This is the inaugural edition, covering data through August 2026. The construction method, including its weighting and the limitations of that weighting, is stated in full below.
Where the index stands
- The Plumbing Cost Index stood at 160.6 in August 2026 against a 2019 base of 100. Plumbing materials prices have risen 60.6 percent since 2019 on this measure.
- The index averaged 141.6 across 2025, a rise of 41.6 percent against 2019.
- Copper and brass mill shapes are the dominant driver. That series more than doubled against 2019, reaching an index value of 207.1 in August 2026.
- Copper accounts for approximately 59 percent of the index’s total rise since 2019 while carrying one third of the weight.
- Plumbing fixture fittings and trim rose more modestly, up 27.7 percent between 2019 and 2025 on the commodity series and 29.7 percent on the industry series.
- Materials price growth has run roughly double consumer price growth. The composite rose 41.6 percent from 2019 to 2025 while the CPI for all items rose 22.7 percent from 2019 to 2024.
- A common claim that household water and sewer bills consistently outrun general inflation is not supported for 2019 to 2024. Water and sewerage maintenance rose 22.1 percent over that period against 22.7 percent for all items.
- That pattern has reversed recently. By August 2026, water and sewerage maintenance stood 34.7 percent above 2019 against 31.0 percent for all items, a gap of 3.7 index points.
Where the index stands today
All values are indexed to a 2019 base of 100. Annual figures are twelve-month averages of published monthly values. The August 2026 column is a single month and is labelled as such.
| Series | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing fixture fittings and trim, commodity (WPU1054) | 91.0 | 94.3 | 100.0 | 102.2 | 105.1 | 116.1 | 118.9 | 120.9 | 127.7 | 136.5 |
| Plumbing fixture fitting and trim manufacturing, industry (PCU332913332913) | 91.0 | 94.1 | 100.0 | 102.4 | 105.4 | 117.9 | 120.8 | 122.8 | 129.7 | 138.2 |
| Copper and brass mill shapes (WPU102502) | 100.1 | 104.1 | 100.0 | 102.9 | 145.9 | 150.1 | 147.7 | 157.6 | 167.4 | 207.1 |
| Plumbing Cost Index (equal-weighted composite) | 94.0 | 97.5 | 100.0 | 102.5 | 118.8 | 128.0 | 129.1 | 133.7 | 141.6 | 160.6 |
Source for all series: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Producer Price Index, retrieved 12 September 2026 and re-verified unchanged on 18 September 2026. Index calculation by The Plumbing Brief.
The underlying series, sourced
- The Plumbing Cost Index reached 160.6 in August 2026 against a 2019 base of 100. Source: calculated by The Plumbing Brief from US Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index series WPU1054, PCU332913332913 and WPU102502.
- Copper and brass mill shapes rose 67.4 percent between the 2019 and 2025 annual averages. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series WPU102502.
- Copper and brass mill shapes rose a further 23.7 percent between the 2025 annual average and August 2026. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series WPU102502.
- Plumbing fixture fittings and trim rose 27.7 percent between 2019 and 2025 on the commodity series. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series WPU1054.
- Plumbing fixture fitting and trim manufacturing rose 29.7 percent between 2019 and 2025 on the industry series. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series PCU332913332913.
- Over the longer window, plumbing fixture fittings and trim rose 40.3 percent between 2017 and 2025. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series WPU1054.
- Copper and brass mill shapes rose 67.3 percent between 2017 and 2025. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series WPU102502.
- The composite index rose 50.6 percent between 2017 and 2025. Source: calculated by The Plumbing Brief from the three BLS series named above.
- The CPI for water and sewerage maintenance rose 22.1 percent between 2019 and 2024. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI series CUUR0000SEHG01.
- The CPI for all items rose 22.7 percent between 2019 and 2024. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI series CUUR0000SA0.
- By August 2026 the water and sewerage maintenance index stood 34.7 percent above its 2019 annual average. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI series CUUR0000SEHG01.
- By August 2026 the all items index stood 31.0 percent above its 2019 annual average. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI series CUUR0000SA0.
- The median annual wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters was 63,800 dollars in May 2025. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, released 15 May 2026.
- Employment in that occupation was 465,840 in May 2025. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- Employment in that occupation is projected to grow 7 percent between 2025 and 2035, with about 42,000 openings projected per year. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook.
What is driving it
The three component series have not moved together. Fittings prices rose steadily. Copper moved in steps, jumping in 2021, holding through 2023, then rising sharply again through 2026.
| Component | Index points gained since 2019 | Contribution to composite rise | Share of total rise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing fixture fittings and trim, commodity | 36.5 | 12.2 | 20.1 percent |
| Plumbing fixture fitting and trim manufacturing | 38.2 | 12.7 | 21.0 percent |
| Copper and brass mill shapes | 107.1 | 35.7 | 58.9 percent |
| Composite | 60.6 | 60.6 | 100 percent |
Figures are index points to August 2026 against a 2019 base of 100. Contribution is each component’s rise multiplied by its one-third weight.
What this means. Copper carries one third of the weight in this index but accounts for approximately 59 percent of its increase. A contractor tracking materials cost exposure is, in practice, tracking copper.
Materials against consumer prices
Producer prices for plumbing materials have risen roughly twice as fast as consumer prices for everything. The composite rose 41.6 percent between 2019 and 2025. The CPI for all items rose 22.7 percent between 2019 and 2024.
Limitation. Those two windows are not identical. At the time of retrieval the CPI series had eleven complete months for 2025, so 2024 is the most recent complete annual average available for the consumer series while 2025 is available for the producer series. The comparison is directionally sound and the exact gap should not be quoted to a decimal place.
Household water and sewer bills
A frequent claim in water sector coverage is that household water and sewer costs consistently outpace general inflation. Over 2019 to 2024 the BLS data does not support that claim.
| Year | Water and sewerage maintenance (2019=100) | All items (2019=100) | Gap in index points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 96.9 | 98.2 | -1.3 |
| 2019 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 |
| 2020 | 103.1 | 101.2 | +1.9 |
| 2021 | 106.3 | 106.0 | +0.3 |
| 2022 | 110.8 | 114.5 | -3.6 |
| 2023 | 116.0 | 119.2 | -3.1 |
| 2024 | 122.1 | 122.7 | -0.6 |
| August 2026 (single month) | 134.7 | 131.0 | +3.7 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI series CUUR0000SEHG01 and CUUR0000SA0.
What this means. During the 2021 and 2022 inflation period, water and sewer bills rose more slowly than general prices, falling as much as 3.6 index points behind. The relationship has since inverted. As of August 2026 water and sewerage maintenance sits 3.7 index points ahead of all items against a 2019 base. Both statements are true, and coverage that cites only one of them misrepresents the series.
How the index is constructed
Derived finding 1: The Plumbing Cost Index
Formula. Each component series is divided by its own 2019 annual average and multiplied by 100. The composite is the unweighted mean of the three indexed series.
Inputs. US Bureau of Labor Statistics PPI series WPU1054, PCU332913332913 and WPU102502, retrieved 12 September 2026 and re-verified unchanged on 18 September 2026.
Finding. The index stood at 160.6 in August 2026 and averaged 141.6 in 2025, against a 2019 base of 100.
Limitations, stated plainly. The composite is equal-weighted because no published weighting exists for a representative residential plumbing materials basket. An equal weight is a disclosed choice, not a measured one. More importantly, two of the three components measure closely related things. The commodity series and the industry series for plumbing fixture fittings and trim track each other within about two index points in every year shown. The practical effect is that fittings carry roughly two thirds of the composite and copper roughly one third. A reader who considers that inappropriate can rebuild the index from the two distinct series using the values published in the table above. This publication does not claim the equal weight is optimal. It claims only that it is disclosed and reproducible.
Derived finding 2: Copper accounts for about 59 percent of the rise
Formula. Each component’s gain in index points since 2019 multiplied by its one-third weight, divided by the composite’s total gain.
Calculation. Copper gained 107.1 index points. One third of that is 35.7. The composite gained 60.6 points. 35.7 divided by 60.6 equals 58.9 percent.
Finding. Copper and brass mill shapes contributed approximately 59 percent of the index’s rise since 2019 while holding one third of the weight.
Inputs. The three BLS series named above.
Limitations. This decomposition is arithmetic on the index as constructed. It inherits the weighting limitation described in derived finding 1. It describes producer prices for copper and brass mill shapes, not the delivered cost of copper pipe to a contractor, which includes distribution margin.
Derived finding 3: The water bill inflation claim does not hold for 2019 to 2024
Formula. Both CPI series indexed to their 2019 annual averages, compared in index points.
Calculation. Water and sewerage maintenance rose 22.1 percent from 2019 to 2024. All items rose 22.7 percent over the same period.
Finding. Household water and sewer costs did not outpace general consumer inflation between 2019 and 2024. They fell behind by as much as 3.6 index points in 2022. The relationship inverted afterwards, and by August 2026 water and sewer stood 3.7 index points ahead.
Inputs. US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI series CUUR0000SEHG01 and CUUR0000SA0.
Limitations. This is a national urban average. It does not describe any individual utility, city or state, and local water rates vary far more than a national index. The August 2026 figure is a single month compared against annual averages.
Reading the series
- The Plumbing Cost Index, 2017 to 2026. Data: the composite row above. Source: BLS PPI series. Insight: a 60.6 percent rise since 2019. Citation-worthy because no named plumbing materials index is currently published.
- Component decomposition. Data: the three indexed series on one axis. Source: BLS. Insight: copper diverges sharply from fittings after 2021.
- Contribution to the rise. Data: the contribution table. Insight: one third of the weight producing 59 percent of the movement.
- Water and sewer against all items. Data: the CPI comparison table. Insight: the relationship inverts, which is the opposite of how it is usually reported.
How this report was built
Methodology
Source selection. Every price input is a published Bureau of Labor Statistics series, identified by series ID so the calculation can be reproduced exactly. No vendor quotes, contractor surveys or paywalled market research were used. We cover how we trace series methodology in more detail in our companion piece on water heater and fixture pricing.
Series verification. Each series identifier was confirmed against its published BLS title before use. One candidate series was rejected during this check: WPU102501 is aluminum mill shapes, not copper, and was excluded once identified.
Inclusion rules. Annual values are means of twelve complete published monthly values. Years with fewer than twelve published months are not reported as annual averages. At retrieval the CPI series carried eleven complete months for 2025, so 2024 is the last complete CPI year reported here.
Base period. 2019 was chosen as the base because it is the last full year before the pandemic-era price disruption, which makes the subsequent movement legible. Underlying BLS commodity series use a 1982 base of 100. Rebasing does not alter percentage changes.
How conflicting numbers were handled. Two BLS series cover plumbing fixture fittings and trim, one at commodity level and one at industry level. Rather than selecting one, both are published and both are included, with the resulting double-weighting disclosed in derived finding 1.
Estimates. The composite index and the contribution decomposition are calculated by this publication. Both formulas are stated. No weighting was applied that is not disclosed.
Retrieval date. 12 September 2026, re-verified unchanged 18 September 2026. Latest available data point: August 2026.
Revision policy. BLS revises PPI data. This index will be restated each quarter from current published values rather than held fixed, and prior editions will remain available for comparison.
Data limitations
- The composite is equal-weighted by disclosed choice, not by measured basket shares. No published weighting for a residential plumbing materials basket exists.
- Two of the three components measure closely related products, so fittings carry roughly two thirds of the composite in practice. This is disclosed rather than corrected, and the underlying series are published so any reader can reweight.
- Producer price indexes measure prices received by domestic producers. They are not retail prices, contractor purchase prices, or installed costs. Distribution margin, freight and local market conditions sit between these series and what a contractor pays.
- The index covers materials only. It does not include labour, permits, equipment or overhead, and it should not be described as a measure of total plumbing project cost.
- The August 2026 figure is a single month. Comparing a single month against annual averages overstates precision and is labelled wherever it appears.
- CPI figures are national urban averages and do not describe any individual city or utility.
- BLS revises published series. Figures here reflect values published as of 12 September 2026.
Source quality ranking
Tier 1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index series WPU1054, PCU332913332913 and WPU102502. US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index series CUUR0000SEHG01 and CUUR0000SA0. US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Tier 2. None used.
Tier 3. None used.
Excluded. Vendor price lists, contractor survey averages, paywalled market research, and any series whose official BLS title could not be confirmed.
The number to quote
- Plumbing materials prices have risen 60.6 percent since 2019 on the Plumbing Cost Index, reaching 160.6 in August 2026.
- Copper and brass mill shapes have more than doubled against 2019, reaching an index value of 207.1 in August 2026.
- Copper carries one third of the index weight and accounts for about 59 percent of its rise.
- Plumbing materials prices have risen roughly twice as fast as consumer prices since 2019.
- Household water and sewer costs did not outrun general inflation between 2019 and 2024, contrary to a widely repeated claim. They fell 3.6 index points behind in 2022 before inverting.
Briefing note
Plumbing materials prices have risen 60.6 percent since 2019, according to the inaugural Plumbing Cost Index published by The Plumbing Brief. The index, built from three Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price series, stood at 160.6 in August 2026 against a 2019 base of 100, and averaged 141.6 across 2025. Copper is the dominant driver. The BLS series for copper and brass mill shapes reached an index value of 207.1 in August 2026, more than double its 2019 level, and accounts for approximately 59 percent of the index’s total rise while carrying one third of its weight. Plumbing fixture fittings rose more modestly, up 27.7 percent between 2019 and 2025. Separately, BLS consumer price data shows household water and sewer costs did not outpace general inflation between 2019 and 2024, rising 22.1 percent against 22.7 percent for all items, although that relationship has since inverted. The index is equal-weighted and its full construction method is published.
Story angles
- Plumbing materials cost 60 percent more than they did in 2019
- Copper is now the whole story in plumbing material costs
- New index tracks plumbing prices using only federal data
- Water bills did not outrun inflation, until they did
- Plumbing materials have risen twice as fast as consumer prices since 2019
Download the data
Every figure in the table above is published as a CSV under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Attribution: The Plumbing Brief.
Index and all three component series, 2017 to August 2026 (CSV)
Common questions about the index
What is the Plumbing Cost Index? A composite price index for plumbing materials built from three published Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price series, indexed to a 2019 base of 100. It stood at 160.6 in August 2026.
How much have plumbing materials gone up since 2019? 60.6 percent through August 2026 on this index, and 41.6 percent measured to the 2025 annual average.
What is driving plumbing material prices? Copper. The BLS series for copper and brass mill shapes reached 207.1 in August 2026 against a 2019 base of 100, and contributes about 59 percent of the index’s rise while holding one third of the weight.
How much have copper prices risen? Copper and brass mill shapes rose 67.4 percent between the 2019 and 2025 annual averages, then a further 23.7 percent between the 2025 average and August 2026.
Have plumbing materials risen faster than inflation? Yes. The composite rose 41.6 percent from 2019 to 2025 while the CPI for all items rose 22.7 percent from 2019 to 2024. The windows differ slightly because the CPI series did not have a complete 2025 at retrieval.
Have household water bills risen faster than inflation? Not between 2019 and 2024. Water and sewerage maintenance rose 22.1 percent against 22.7 percent for all items. By August 2026 the relationship had inverted, with water and sewer 3.7 index points ahead.
Which BLS series does this index use? WPU1054 for plumbing fixture fittings and trim at commodity level, PCU332913332913 for plumbing fixture fitting and trim manufacturing at industry level, and WPU102502 for copper and brass mill shapes.
Does this index include labour? No. It covers materials only. For wages, BLS reported a median annual wage of 63,800 dollars for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in May 2025.
Is this the price a contractor actually pays? No. Producer price indexes measure prices received by domestic producers. Distribution margin, freight and local market conditions sit between these series and a contractor’s invoice.
How often is this index updated? Quarterly, restated each edition from current published BLS values, because BLS revises its series.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-18.
How to cite this report
The Plumbing Brief, “The Plumbing Cost Index: Q3 2026 Edition, Tracking Plumbing Material and Water Prices Since 2017”, https://theplumbingbrief.com/plumbing-cost-index/, accessed [date].
