Apopka council approves 15.5% water and wastewater rate increase; orders monthly meter progress reports

The Apopka City Council on Sept. 17 approved Resolution 2025-38, adopting new water, wastewater and reclaimed-water rate schedules that include a 15.5% increase to support the FY 2025–26 utility operating fund. The vote followed an extended public comment period and more than an hour of questions from commissioners about meter failures, estimated bills and transfers from the utility fund to the general fund.

Council approval put the rate increase into the city's adopted budget for the coming fiscal year and followed a staff presentation explaining that the change was needed to support utility operations and capital priorities. "The proposed rates reflect a 15.5% increase to support the adopted budget for FY 25-26 utility operating fund," said Blanche, a city staff member who presented the rate schedules and answered council questions.

The rate decision matters to customers already receiving estimated bills and to low-income households, several of whom told the council the increase would be a hardship. "Please, please, please, when you see this come through on the estimates, don't punish these people. They're desperate," said Renee Bailey, a resident who said she was speaking for neighbors unable to pay sharply higher, backdated estimated bills.

Residents and commissioners pressed staff for details about the meters that produce many of those estimates. Several commenters and commissioners said the city has relied on long-running…