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Punta Gorda utility advisers hear data showing water demand outpacing population; council chose 5% water-rate increase
Summary
At the Sept. 22 Utility Advisory Board meeting, Utilities Director Tom Spencer presented water and wastewater operational data showing demand rising faster than population growth. Staff reported that City Council chose a 5% across-the-board water rate increase; consultants advised larger increases to fully cover projected costs.
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — At a Sept. 22 meeting of the Punta Gorda City Utility Advisory Board, Utilities Director Tom Spencer told board members that water demand in the city's service area has risen substantially faster than population, and staff reported that City Council has chosen a 5% across-the-board increase for water rates.
Spencer said the service-area population grew from about 39,900 residents in 2020 to roughly 41,600 today — an increase of about 4% — while peak day water demand rose from just over 8 million gallons in 2020 to more than 9.5 million gallons in 2023, an 18% increase. "We have the numbers to back it up," Spencer told the board.
Why it matters: city staff and the board said demand growth — driven in part by hotter, drier weather and increased irrigation — is pressuring the water system while state withdrawal limits reduce the city's flexibility. The consultant advised larger rate increases and a multi-year plan; staff said City Council opted to adopt a 5% increase for water at this time.
Key operational figures and context presented by…
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