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Pataskala utilities committee narrows water-rate options; staff recommends no sewer increase for now
Summary
City staff told the utilities committee that the sewer fund is stable and recommended no immediate rate increase; the committee narrowed multiple water-rate scenarios to two options to present to council and asked staff to return with final ordinance language and outreach plans.
Pataskala City’s Utilities Committee reviewed long-term projections for the water and sewer funds and agreed to bring two water-rate options to council while postponing a sewer-rate increase for now.
City staff said the sewer fund’s current balance is healthy and recommended no rate increase at this time. "For right now, my recommendation is we do not chase a sewer increase at this time," staff member Joe told the committee, noting the fund balance and equipment upgrades reduce near-term pressure on sewer revenues.
Committee members and staff focused most of the meeting on the water fund, which staff said shows a downward trend under current rates. Staff presented five modeled rate scenarios aimed at restoring a $1,000,000 carryover (reserve) by 2030. The scenarios included a 5% increase every other year, an 8% increase every other year and hybrid sequences that start with a larger increase followed by smaller ones. Staff told the committee that a 5% every-other-year increase would be near the minimum needed and that larger or staged increases (for example, an initial 8% followed by smaller steps) would reach the $1,000,000 target sooner.
After discussion the committee removed two of the five scenarios (options labeled 1 and 4 in staff materials) and asked staff to return with two refined options and ordinance language for council consideration. Committee members emphasized that any adopted schedule could be adjusted later: staff and the committee agreed rate changes may be revisited during the annual budget process and amended by ordinance if projections change.
Staff also updated the committee on several related items on the consent agenda for tonight’s council meeting: a resolution to amend a previously submitted EPA design loan packet for the wastewater treatment facility (staff said the amendment adjusts the total to include an earlier planning loan), a planned purchase of AMI meter-reading software (presented as approximately $51,500 to be paid from an existing purchase order), and a small retained-payment supplemental related to a completed sewer-lining project (about $13,000). Staff reported the Ohio Valley Water Coalition (OVWC) had awarded roughly $500,000 in grant funds toward the city’s iron-filter water treatment project; staff said that grant money is not yet reflected in the water-rate projections and that Jamie will incorporate it in updated financials.
Committee members asked staff to include customer-notification language with the ordinance to make clear that projected increases could be adjusted up or down based on efficiency gains, grant receipts or other changes to the financial picture. Staff said they would prepare comparative charts for 2026–2028 showing the two options and examples of typical residential bills (5,000-gallon usage was used in the comparison materials) and return to the committee the week before the council packet deadline so the items can be placed on the April council agenda.
The committee did not take a formal vote on any rate ordinance during the meeting; it instructed staff to return with final materials for council action.
