“The index measures the average change in prices of goods and services paid by consumers within this geographical area, so it kind of replicates the local economy and what’s going on,” Johns said during Miamisburg City Council’s most recent meeting. “The last CPI increase we did for water and sewer rates was in 2022 at 3.2%, but the last two years we have consciously not raised rates and that’s for a couple of reasons.”
First, all water meters were replaced throughout the city, Johns said. Second, the city shifted from quarterly to monthly billing.
“Given those significant changes, rate increases were not initiated, so they stayed the same,” she said.
The CPI from saw a year-over-year increase of 2.5% January 2023 to January 2024. A 2.5% increase also occurred between October 2023 versus October 2024. Given those changes, the city will implement a 2% rate increase for all bills starting in February.
Council held a first reading for an ordinance adjusting the water and sewer rates at last week’s meeting. It is slated to conduct a second reading of the measure and vote on it at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Council approved a refuse rate ordinance at the meeting.
The residential cost for a minimum bill, which is three units of usage, would see a water bill increase 42 cents a month, sewer service increase by 57 cents and refuse service increase by $1, for a total of nearly $2 a month, or about $24 a year.
Johns said the average user typically accounts for five units of usage, and will pay 70 cents more per month for water, 86 cents more for sewer and $1 more for refuse for a total monthly increase of $2.56, or about $31 a year.
Miamisburg’s refuse services are provided by Rumpke through a multi-government contract that is bid every five to seven years. The last contract began in 2023 and will run through 2027. That contract increase was about 60% over the previous contract, Johns said.
“In looking at those rates and trying to be consistent with how we handle those costs, the city has subsidized a certain proportion of refuse services,” Johns said. “Before the contract, that averaged about $115,000 a year, and at that point, households were paying $12 a month for refuse. So when the 2023 contract was initiated, the rates were increased to $14 a month and the city’s subsidy was $190,000.”
This year, the rates were increased to $16 a month, and the city subsidy is estimated to be about $150,000, she said.
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