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Findlay council accepts Water & Sewer committee reports; no rate changes for 2026 recommended
Summary
The Water & Sewer Committee recommended no water, sewer or wastewater rate increases for 2026 and accepted a storm-based fee structure; council accepted the committee reports and asked staff to confirm EPA acceptability of stormwater fee design.
The Findlay City Council on Oct. 7 accepted Water & Sewer Committee reports recommending no rate changes for 2026 for water, sewer and wastewater accounts and recommending adoption of a storm-based fee structure for stormwater fees.
Why it matters
Water, sewer and stormwater rates fund infrastructure projects and regulatory compliance. Committee members said master plans for water and wastewater will guide future capital projects and any future rate adjustments.
What the committee recommended and council decided
The committee recommended no change to water, sewer and wastewater rates for 2026. Committee members said that longer-term plans — a water master plan and a long-term control plan for sewer — remain pending; projects identified in those plans could require rate adjustments in coming years. Council accepted the committee recommendation that rates remain unchanged for 2026.
On stormwater, the committee recommended acceptance of a storm-based fee structure. Council discussion included a request from Council Member Jim Estasiak to confirm that the fee structure meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements; staff said the EPA does not dictate a single fee structure but requires municipalities to fund stormwater obligations and that staff would double-check regulatory compliance.
Council also approved a procedural change to codify that the Water & Sewer Committee hold annual rate-review meetings in October to standardize timing of rate reviews.
Details cited in the meeting
- Committee recommendation: no changes to water, sewer and wastewater rates for 2026; accepted by council. - Committee recommendation: adopt a storm-based fee structure for stormwater; council accepted and directed staff to confirm EPA compatibility. - Committee procedure: amend council rules to require annual October meetings for rate review; accepted.
Ending
Council accepted the committee reports as presented. Staff said the timing of larger rate adjustments will depend on the outcomes of the water and sewer master plans and any capital projects those plans identify.
