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Committee recommends no water or sewer rate changes for 2026; approves stormwater fee restructuring targeting large footprints
Summary
Findlay's Water and Sewer Committee recommended no water- or sewer-rate increases for 2026, discussed projected rate paths for later years pending a master plan, and voted to accept a revised stormwater base-fee structure that shifts more cost to large nonresidential impervious footprints while leaving residential bills unchanged.
The Findlay City Water and Sewer Committee reviewed third-quarter fund projections and voted to recommend no water- or sewer-rate changes for 2026. The committee also approved a restructuring of the stormwater base-fee tiers that reassigns more cost to large commercial and industrial properties while leaving residential fees intact.
Staff presented two water pro formas: one showing current rates and one with hypothetical increases in later years (a modeled 7% increase in 2027 and 6% in 2028–29 were used as examples). Staff said the city's water master plan and a consultant rate analysis are expected in mid-2026 and will provide a definitive long-term rate trajectory. Given that pending master plan, committee members said it was premature to adopt a rate increase for 2026.
On water, staff projected that capital schedules and a partial operational giveback have deferred the most urgent rate pressure beyond 2026; the committee voted, by voice, to recommend no water-rate change for 2026.
On sewer, staff described an upcoming long-term control plan (CSO plan) expected in 2026 that will identify multi-year sewer capital needs. Because much of the sewer capital has been programmed and debt is minimal, the committee likewise voted to recommend no sewer-rate change for 2026.
Stormwater was the most active agenda item. Staff handed out a proposed rework of the storm-base fee table that simplifies categories and computes fees by acreage to better match impervious area impact. Under the proposal, residential classes (single-family, duplex, triplex, condo) keep a flat residential charge; larger acreage categories (commercial/industrial) would see higher fees. Staff ran comparisons showing that even after the proposed adjustments Findlay's largest customers (e.g., big-box footprints) would pay less than comparable cities in the region, but would contribute more than under the current Findlay structure.
Committee members said the restructuring preserves affordability for households while beginning to build storm-fund balance to pay for needed storm infrastructure repairs. Staff said the storm fund currently shows modest capital in coming years and that greater revenue is needed to address collapsed or failing storm pipes and larger planned projects such as the Eagle Basin placeholder. The committee approved the proposed storm base-fee structure by voice vote; members said staff will implement new tiers for nonresidential acreage categories and bill accordingly.
Several members requested clearer labeling of EPA-recommended minimum balances (staff reported the EPA/asset-management guidance recommends a three-month operating balance) and asked staff to show inflation assumptions (staff confirmed operating inflation was modeled at 3%). Members also requested that capital placeholders (for example a $300,000 storm allowance and operation budget lines for new basins) be consistently reflected across pro forma sheets.
Votes recorded during the meeting (committee recommendations to council) included: recommending no water-rate change for 2026, recommending no sewer-rate change for 2026, and recommending acceptance of the proposed storm base-fee structure.
