Canton Township adopts 5.64% average bimonthly water and sewer rate increase; board approves several road and infrastructure contracts

Canton Township’s Board of Trustees voted April 22 to adopt a resolution setting new water and sewer rates that the township says will produce an average bimonthly revenue increase of about 5.64 percent, effective May 1, 2025, and moved forward on multiple infrastructure contracts for roads, sidewalks and parks.

The board approved Resolution No. 2025-11 after a presentation from township staff explaining that the water and sewer fund budget for 2025 starts at roughly $34 million, uses about $3 million of available cash reserves to smooth the increase, and projects about 2.5 billion gallons of water sales for the coming year. Director Norwood said the resulting rate adjustment “comes out to be” about a 5–5.6% increase and gave examples: “a low user…an increase of about $3 every 2 months,” an average user about $7 every two months, and a high user about $13 every two months.

The nut graf: Township staff said the rate change reflects the fund’s cash requirements and steps to smooth future fluctuations, including using reserves and spacing capital outlays. Finance staff said some costs driving the change come from higher wholesale charges passed through by the Great Lakes Water Authority and planned investments in the township’s water and sewer infrastructure.

Staff said the township’s starting budget for the water and sewer fund is near $34 million; after removing non-cash depreciation and adding cash debt-service obligations, the cash requirement was presented as roughly $35.34 million before applying $3 million from reserves to lower the amount to be collected from ratepayers. Finance staff described basing consumption on a 10‑year historical average (about 2.5 billion gallons) and running that through the rate model to set the proposed charges. Director Trumbull said the analysis intentionally uses reserves “to help offset any rate increase to the residents” and that the township is trying to avoid large swings in user charges by timing capital spending.

Board members asked several operational and policy questions. Trustee Kate praised staff for holding increases below the…