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Broken Arrow council adopts manual of fees; water, sewer, stormwater and trash rates rise Oct. 1
Summary
The City Council adopted an updated manual of fees that raises utility rates for water, sewer, stormwater and trash by about 10%, effective Oct. 1. City officials say higher operating and material costs drove the change; an average family of four using roughly 7,000 gallons a month can expect about $12–$13 more.
At its Aug. 4 meeting, the Broken Arrow City Council adopted an updated manual of fees that increases rates for water, sewer, stormwater and trash by about 10%, effective Oct. 1.
The change affects utility customers across the city, and city officials said the increase responds to higher operating costs, materials and contracted service charges. "You know, this is something to make sure city stable," Vice Mayor Johnny Parks said, describing the fees as necessary to maintain core services.
The manual of fees is the city document that lists service rates for permits, applications and utilities. Officials said city staff and the council reviewed the proposed adjustments in work sessions and that the city manager has sent a letter to utility customers explaining the change. The city has also posted a frequently asked questions page in the finance section of the city's website, Parks said.
Parks said several specific cost pressures factored into the decision. "Trash has gone up over the last three to four years," he said, adding that trash service costs have risen about 97 percent. He also cited higher prices for sand, dirt and concrete used in stormwater work and other repairs.
City officials gave an example of household impact: "An average family of 4, mom, dad, 2 kids, uses on average about 7,000 gallons of water per month. That's gonna increase their bill to about anywhere between 12 and $13, per month," Parks said.
The council and staff described the change as modest relative to the need to maintain water quality, collection services and stormwater repair capacity. City communications director Aaron McCullough noted the council discussed the fees in recent work sessions and that the increase will help the city fund routine maintenance and service delivery.
For more information, the city advised residents to check the finance section on the City of Broken Arrow website for the FAQ and to watch the published meeting materials for the Aug. 4 meeting.
