UtilitiesTuesday, November 10
Cincinnati's water utility proposes a 9.5% rate increase every year from 2027 to 2031
The Daily Hamilton team
If you get your water from Greater Cincinnati Water Works, here's what's on the table. GCWW officials proposed a 9.5% annual rate increase for 2027 through 2031 to a City Council committee on Monday.
WKRC reports the increases would start in January 2027 and average $3.78 a month. WVXU says the average Cincinnati residential bill would rise about $45 per year. The utility points to federal mandates on lead pipes and PFAS "forever chemicals," plus a program that replaces 1% of water mains a year.
The average monthly increase would grow every year through 2031
Source: WCPO 9 Cincinnati
View as table
| Average monthly increase | |
|---|---|
| 2027 | $3.14 |
| 2028 | $3.41 |
| 2029 | $3.74 |
| 2030 | $4.09 |
| 2031 | $4.50 |
- Lead line removal: 3,000 a year, starting November 2027
- Lead lines still in the system: 30,000
- Fairfield groundwater plant: six parts per trillion, new limit is four
Councilman Mark Jeffreys said the 9.5% outpaces inflation and asked about alternatives, such as whether large-volume discounts are needed. "I think we've got a lot more work to do in the next week or so before we vote on this," he said. The Budget, Finance and Governance Committee votes next week.
The proposal and the federal mandates behind it
- 9.5%
- annual increase proposed for 2027 through 2031
- $178 million
- estimated for lead line and PFAS work over five years
- $23 million
- a year to replace 3,000 lead lines
Source: WCPO 9 Cincinnati
Sources: WCPO 9 Cincinnati, WVXU, NPR Cincinnati, WKRC