Rochester Hills council adopts water, sewer rate increases effective July 1
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Summary
City Council voted unanimously June 9 to amend city code and raise residential water and sewer rates; average two‑month bill for a typical household will rise about $15.
Rochester Hills City Council on June 9 adopted an ordinance amending sections 54.741, 54.743, 54.744 and 54.745 of the city code to raise water and sanitary sewer rates, effective July 1, 2025.
City staff presented the ordinance at the meeting, saying the change is intended to bring the utility operations to an operational break‑even for the coming rate year. “The rate setting option selected by the group was the break‑even option,” Mr. Snyder, a city staff member, told the council.
The ordinance increases the per‑unit water rate by $0.81 to $7.80 (an 11% increase), raises the sewer rate by $0.41 to $7.10 (a 6.2% increase), and raises the customer charge by $0.06 (1%). City staff said pass‑through charges from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and the Oakland County Water Resources Commission contributed to the need for higher rates; GLWA plans a 5.8% increase and the county a 9.9% increase for sewer services this year. The city estimated a typical residential customer using 12 units per billing cycle would see a change from about $170 every two months to about $185 every two months — roughly $90 per year, an 8.7% increase.
Councilmembers asked staff about the rationale and the process used by the Water System Advisory Council to recommend the increase. Snyder said water volumes have declined in recent years while fixed costs and outside provider charges have risen, and reserves in the water and sewer operating fund have been reduced, requiring rate adjustments to cover costs.
Mrs. Moreland moved adoption of the ordinance; Mr. Blair seconded. The council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance. The city will publish the ordinance in the Oakland Press on June 29, 2025, and the ordinance takes effect July 1, 2025.
The ordinance text as read at the meeting amends the fee sections of Article 12 (Utilities) of Chapter 54 (Fees) of the Rochester Hills code to modify water and sanitary sewer rates and fees and to prescribe penalties for violations.
