Greater Cincinnati Water Works customers could see their bills get more expensive starting next year, under a proposed set of rate increases.
The water utility presented to City Council's Budget Committee Monday, proposing a 9.5% rate hike each year for five years, from 2027 to 2031. The average Cincinnati residential bill would increase by about $45 per year.
GCWW Executive Director Andrea Yang says this round of rate increases is necessary to address regulatory mandates from the EPA to replace lead pipes and remove forever chemicals from drinking water in the next few years.
“These are important because they meet the regulations and ensure that we continue to have the highest quality water for our customers,” Yang said.
GCWW has already replaced 10,000 lead service lines, but 30,000 remain in the system. Starting in Nov. 2027, the EPA is requiring 10% replacement every year, meaning the utility will have to speed up its effort.
“We need to increase that from our current rate — which last year was probably about 1,500 — to 3,000 a year,” Yang said.
GCWW is facing new PFAS regulations from the EPA as well, beginning in April 2028. The utility will have to install new technology to remove forever chemicals at its Bolton Plant to bring the facility into compliance, which will cost upward of $100 million. About 12% of GCWW’s water comes from the Fairfield plant.
Yang says the rate increases are also needed to fund the ongoing replacement of aging water mains, along with rising electricity costs and inflation.
“We know that this is a significant increase, and we are very conscious of the need to keep monthly residential water costs low,” Yang said.
The utility noted that its proposed increase is considered affordable under metrics set by the U.S. EPA. It also offers a handful of programs, including payment plans and a discount for seniors and disabled veterans, to help people afford their water bills and avoid having their service shut off.
Yang says a rate increase doesn’t mean a decrease in access to water. GCWW shrunk the number of pending shutoffs and delinquent accounts, even as rates increased 5.5% annually from 2022-2026.
GCWW serves 1.1 million customers throughout the region, not just within the city of Cincinnati.
City Council could vote on the proposal next week.
Sewer rates could also change
GCWW also handles billing for the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, so customers of both see those charges on a single bill.
MSD rates are approved by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, which is considering two options for a rate increase in 2027:
- A 4% increase to the minimum base charge and commodity charge for all customers, and to the pretreatment charge for industrial users (no change to surcharge rates)
- Reduction to the minimum allowance from 3 CCF to 2 CCF, with adjustments to the minimum base charge and commodity charge.
Two public hearings are scheduled for the public to give feedback on the plan:
- Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 10:15 a.m.
- Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 10:15 a.m.
The hearings will be held at the Todd B. Portune Center for County Government (138 E. Court Street, Room 605).
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