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Branson board adopts lower water and sewer rate increases after weeklong review
Summary
After multiple presentations and an HDR rate study, the Board of Aldermen amended Bill 65‑99 and approved a smaller rate increase package for 2026: a 10% increase on water charges and a 9% increase on sewer charges, with capital projects rescheduled to reduce near‑term costs. The amendment and the ordinance passed by 6–0.
Kendall Powell, the city—s director who led the utilities presentation, told the Board of Aldermen the city—s water and sewer utility faces growing capital needs and meter replacement work and that an outside consultant, HDR Engineering, recommended a program of meter changeouts plus rate adjustments to sustain capital replacement funding.
Powell walked the board through the city—s rate history and a 20‑year model that shows two scenarios for 2026 and beyond: a higher option that would have raised water by 20% and sewer by 15%, and a lower option that would raise water by 10% and sewer by 9%. He said the higher option would keep more capital work on the schedule, while the lower option required deferring some capital projects into later years.
Board members raised the impact on residents and businesses. Alderman Clay Cooper and others said they heard strong community concern after the initial 20% proposal. Powell said the 10%/9% option would reduce planned capital replacements for 2026 to hold the rate increase to a more moderate level and still move forward on priority projects. Powell quantified the residential impact: for a typical household using roughly 5,000 gallons per month, the 10% water increase would add about $2.21 per month and the 9% sewer increase about $1.81 per month. He also showed commercial examples where the dollar change depends on meter size and usage.
Alderman Schultz moved to amend Bill 65‑99 to incorporate the lower option (10% water, 9% sewer). The amendment was seconded and passed on a 6–0 vote. The board then voted on Bill 65‑99 as amended; Clerk roll call recorded the final result as 6–0, approving the ordinance as amended.
Officials said the adopted path balances short‑term customer impacts with the need to maintain reserves and finance future capital; staff noted the reduced near‑term capital spending will push some projects into later years and asked the board to expect follow‑up reporting and budget adjustments as projects and meter testing proceed.
Council action and next steps: the ordinance (Bill 65‑99) passed on a voice/roll call vote of 6–0 as amended; staff will present updated capital schedules and reserve projections as the meter changeout data and project bids are finalized.
Sources: Presentation and modeling by Kendall Powell and staff; HDR Engineering study referenced in the staff presentation. No additional rate increases were enacted beyond the approved ordinance language.
