Explanation
This ordinance authorizes an increase in sewer rates effective January 1, 2026 for the Division of Sewerage and Drainage and to amend Chapter 1147 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
With the 2026 rates increases for water, sewer, and storm combined -- based on an average residential customer with water use of 20 ccf's per quarter, City of Columbus residents are estimated to see their total bill increase $10.48 per month, or $125.80 per year, which equates to a combined bill increase of 11.72%. Low Income Discount participant's overall bill impact is 11.65%. Outside city customers overall bill impact is 12.88%. Customer's bill impact will vary with usage.
In 2005, in accordance with Ordinance No. 1904-2005, passed November 28, 2005, Council created a Clean River Fee to recover costs of construction of projects necessary to meet the requirements of the two consent orders that mandate elimination of wet weather flow from Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows. This charge was assessed based on each property's measured impervious surface area. Since 2005, Council has approved across-the-board rate increases, including the Clean River Fee. The Department of Public Utilities, with approval of the Utility Advisory Board, recommends that the Clean River Fee again be increased with an across-the-board rate increase of 8% to continue to allow wet weather construction projects to be paid for by a blend of the Clean River Fee and Commodity Charges. The Department studied the wet weather charge and capital expenditures by planning area from 2010 through 2023 to determine which Blueprint projects only benefit inside-city customers compared to those that benefit both inside-city and outside-city customers. Projects that only impacted water in basements (“WIB”) were considered inside-only. Projects that improved WIBs and addressed designated sanitary relief or sanitary sewer overflows benefit both inside-city and outside-city customers. The analys...
Click here for full text