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Leesburg utility fund proposes 4.5% average residential rate increase in FY 2026
Summary
The town's utilities director presented a nearly $40 million enterprise fund budget for FY 2026, including a 4.5% average residential bill increase, capital projects and an enhancement position funded in the adopted five-year rate plan.
Leesburg's utilities department presented its FY 2026 proposed budget to the town council, describing the enterprise fund's revenue, capital spending and proposed rate impacts.
"The utility fund fiscal year 2026 proposed budget is just short of $40,000,000," Amy Weichs, director of utilities, said in the work session. She said roughly $26 million would fund operations, about $6 million for debt service, approximately $2.5 million for capital asset replacement and roughly $5.6 million for capital projects.
Rate plan and customer impact: Utilities staff said FY 2026 is the second year of a five-year rate plan the council adopted in January 2024; the proposal would average a 4.5% bill increase for residential customers. The rate plan includes one enhancement: a utility system technician position anticipated as part of the adopted plan.
Funding and capital program: Weichs said finance staff incorporated availability fees into the CIP to reduce future debt financing needs. Utilities' CIP totals and projects were summarized alongside the general government CIP presented by public works.
Enterprise fund note: Staff emphasized that the utilities fund is an enterprise fund and is supported entirely by availability and user fees; no general fund taxes support the water and sanitary sewer enterprise.
Ending: Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about stormwater (handled by public works), and staff said more detail on projects and timing would be available in the budget documents and quarterly reports.
