Council adopts a 10% sewer rate increase and new stormwater fee, the first sewer hike since 2019

The council adopted General Ordinance 8-2026, raising sewer rates 10% starting in 2030 and creating the city's first dedicated stormwater charge, to pay for the long-term control plan — a court-mandated schedule of sewer upgrades required to stop sewage from overflowing into the Wabash River during heavy rain. ▶︎ 0:15:57 — open the recording, cued to 15 minutes 57 seconds

The plan targets roughly 1% average annual rate growth over a 10-year span and is the first sewer rate increase the council has approved since 2019 17:05; city officials said an earlier estimate had put the increase as high as 15 to 17% before internal cost cuts brought it down to 10%. ▶︎ 0:27:50 — open the recording, cued to 27 minutes 50 seconds

The mayor first presented this rate plan and a $3-a-month stormwater fee in July; Thursday's vote formally adopts both. ▶︎ 1:41:07 — open the recording, cued to 1 hour 41 minutes 7 seconds