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Perrysburg committee reviews 2025 water-and-sewer fee changes and approves $1,149 in sewer credits
Summary
Staff presented a 2025 fee schedule showing several material-driven changes — hydrant setup charges, a $4,500 hydrant deposit for construction, and a 3% capital-expansion fee increase — and the committee approved $1,149.11 in sewer credits tied to cold-weather breaks and other incidents.
The Public Utilities Committee reviewed the Department of Public Utilities’ 2025 fee schedule and related policy clarifications on Feb. 12, 2025, and approved $1,149.11 in sewer credits for customers affected by leaks and broken pipes. The year-to-date total of approved credits now stands at $1,767.36.
Staff explained several changes and clarifications in the fee schedule. Notable items included a new hydrant setup charge of $75 if service is provided within the city and $175 for outside-city requests, a $4,500 hydrant deposit for construction usage, and a 3% increase in capital expansion (development) fees over 2024. Staff said the inflow-and-infiltration charge will remain the same for 2025 but may be raised next year.
Operational adjustments were described to reduce material costs: the department will use a plastic curved box with a metal lid instead of a cast-iron box for some valve covers, saving roughly $100 per unit, and it anticipates that switching service-line material on some 2-inch taps from copper to plastic will reduce costs. Staff also discussed emerging ultrasonic meter technology that could be available for smaller residential meters within several years.
The committee also discussed pool- and ice-rink fills. Staff recommended that residents notify the department before filling a pool and that staff apply a sewer credit (a sewer-use credit) so customers pay only for water used. Construction users can secure a hydrant meter with a $4,500 deposit; staff said this deposit is used to deduct actual usage from the deposit.
On sewer credits, staff reported that cold weather caused multiple incidents — frozen spigots, broken pipes and sump-pump activity — that resulted in credit requests. Staff added a column to the credit report noting whether the high consumption was detected by the utility office; seven of 11 recent requests were flagged that way. "For the month ... we have had $1,149.11 in sewer credits requested and those, have been approved, particularly the ones that had sump pumps," Public Utilities staff said. The department confirmed certain claims using dye tests where appropriate.
Committee members asked about the ordinances and how frequently the department reviews tap fees; staff said they perform annual inventory and pricing in December, factor labor and fringe costs, and plan to seek a rate consultant statement of qualifications to prepare new rates by Jan. 1, 2027.
No committee vote was required to present the fee information; the committee approved the sewer credits and otherwise received the update.
