SANFORD, Fla. – If you live in Sanford, you may soon be paying more for utilities.
The city posted online about the proposed changes and soon dozens of comments came in from customers. Many expressed their dissatisfaction with the thought of their bill going up.
According to city officials, the proposed rate increase is about 7.5% on water, reclaimed water, and sewer. If the commission approves the adjustments, the average utility bill for 6,000 gallons of water and sewer per month, currently $80.74, would see an overall increase of 7% to $86.34.
Sanford hired a financial consultant to study the city’s revenues and expenses. That consultant recommended the rate increase to keep up with rising costs and maintain quality service.
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Mayor Art Woodruff explained what’s driving operating costs in Sanford.
“Inflation. The same thing everybody else is facing,” said Mayor Woodruff. “Inflation for chemicals is higher than for your typical consumer products, capital improvements, construction, the equipment that we use.”
Impact fees from new developments can pay for some capital improvements, such as increasing the capacity of the south wastewater plant, but not everything.
“If we want to keep doing maintenance, repairs, improvements, then we’ve got to have the money to do that,” Woodruff said.
Projections show the current rates will not cover any repairs, replacement, or improvements by 2028.
Mayor Woodruff says Sanford can’t afford to not make this investment when the city has also been dealing with updating and replacing water meters citywide, sewage plant issues, and finding funds to build a new water treatment plant that will help protect the supply from harmful forever chemicals.
“If we want the city that people keep asking for, you know, the well-maintained, the one that I’ve been advocating for since I was first elected, we need to take care of infrastructure. We need to do maintenance,” said Woodruff.
During a city commission meeting on Monday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m., commissioners will discuss the proposed rate increase.
A final vote on the matter is currently set for Oct. 14. If the commission approves these changes, expect utility bills to change starting in November.
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