NORTH CANTON − Residents and businesses will be paying more for North Canton sewer and water services starting in January.
City Council recently adopted new rates that will charge for sanitary sewer service based on the size of water meters.
It also changes a multi-tier system that charges for water use based on consumption to a flat rate per thousand gallons on top of a fixed rate.
The city’s Akron-based consultant, Bob McNutt of Verdantas, said customers with bigger water meters put more strain on the sewage system.
He said he recommended rates include a fixed amount per month regardless of consumption to the water and sewage system’s fixed costs.
“We want people to pay their fair share of these fixed costs and stresses on the system,” McNutt said in a June presentation.
North Canton sewer rates
To keep up with the increased costs of maintaining the system and build the water and sewage funds’ reserve, all rates will go up 5% each year from 2027 to 2031.
City officials would review the rates three times a year.
“The citizens that came out ahead frankly the most were those who use the least water, Council member Jeffry Stocker, At-Large, said. “Generally speaking, our seniors. And I also read that we’ll see a bit of an increase for our businesses.”
Finance Director Jina Alaback said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requires cities approve any rate changes at least six months in advance.
Currently for sanitary sewer service every resident pays a flat $43.99 a month.
Every business pays $30.46 a month, plus $6.05 for every 1,000 gallons sewage.
Starting next year, the rate depends on the size of the water meter. A customer with a standard 5/8th-inch water meter who doesn’t exceed 2,000 gallons of disposed sewage would pay $42 for a month, a slight reduction from the current rate.
Rates would be $105 for a customer with a 1-inch meter; $210 for a 1-1/2-inch meter; $336 for a 2-inch meter; $630 for a 3-inch meter; $1,050 for a 4-inch meter; $2,100 for a six-inch meter and $3,360 for an 8-inch meter.
The number of gallons of sewage to be removed included in those minimum costs would increase depending on the size of the water meter. That would range from 2,000 gallons for the 5/8-inch water meter to 25,000 gallons for an 8-inch water meter. Everyone would pay $4 for every additional 1,000 gallons of sewage on top of the number of gallons included in the minimum fee.
Fees include a share paid to Canton or Stark County for processing sewage.
North Canton water rates
As for water, the city already has a rate table based on water meter size.
But the new rate tables would slightly increase the flat minimum cost, eliminate higher-cost tiers for higher water consumption and set a fixed rate per thousand gallons consumed above a set allowance of gallons.
McNutt said the prior water rates were set when there was less of an abundant supply of water.
Currently, residential North Canton water customers in the city pay a minimum of $14.20 a month for water for a 5/8th-inch water meter to nearly $1,191 for an eight-inch meter.
Residential customers outside North Canton pay from $40.05 a month for a 5/8th-inch meter to $1,953 for an 8-inch meter.
Commercial and industrial water customers in North Canton pay a minimum of $14.20 a month for a 5/8th-inch meter to $833 a month for an 8-inch meter. Commercial and industrial customers outside North Canton city limits pay a minimum of $40.05 for a 5/8th-inch meter to $1,318 a month for an 8-inch meter.
That doesn’t include a consumption charge with a variety of tiers.
With the new water rates, North Canton water customers would no longer have separate rates for residents and businesses. It would be entirely based on water meter size.
For customers in North Canton, the minimum flat charge would vary from $17.90 a month for a 5/8th-inch meter with a 2,000-gallon allowance included, to $1,432 for an eight-inch meter with a 125,000-gallon allowance. The rate would be a flat $6.75 for each 1,000 gallons of water used over the allowrance.
The new water rates for customers outside the city of North Canton would be 70% higher than customers outside of North Canton. (Except a customer outside the city with a 5/8th-inch meter would get a 3,000 gallon monthly water allowance instead of 2,000 gallons for a customer in the city.)
McNutt said the current sewer and water rate system is not fiscally sustainable.
The city finance department projects that expenses of maintaining the water and sewage system will exceed revenue for years, even with annual increases in fees, and deplete the city’s water and sewer financial reserves by 2033. The city should have a reserve of a year’s expenses set aside to fund emergency repairs.
This year, water and sewer revenue is projected to be $8 million and expenses are projected to be $8.1 million.
Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: North Canton is hiking its water and sewer rates. Here’s why
Reporting by Robert Wang, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Wang, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
