FY2023 Rate Increase Explanation

The combined rate impact across water and sewer is a 5.17% increase over FY22 rates. In an effort to mitigate impacts to customers during the pandemic, when many people had financial hardships, Melrose did not increase water or sewer volumetric rates or base fees the last two years. In fact, we have not increased water volumetric rates since FY18 and water base fees since FY17, meaning that water rates have been level for the last five years. For sewer, we have not increased volumetric rates since FY17, and increases in FY18, FY19, and FY20 were limited to base fee increases only.

As water usage rebounds from pandemic level increases, rate adjustments are required to meet our FY23 financial obligations to operate the water and sewer systems. The approved rates, as shown on previous page, will appear on water bills beginning on October 1, 2022, since earlier bills would not consist entirely of water used within FY23.  This decision was made several years ago and has been consistent since that time.  This practice will continue during FY23.