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City approves water and sewer rate increases for 2025
Summary
City of Grand Rapids commissioners approved water and sewer rate adjustments to take effect Jan. 1: a 4.34% increase for water and a 2.15% increase for sewer. Staff said a 30‑day public comment period included tabling events and nine conversations; most commenters either opposed raises or were neutral.
The Grand Rapids City Commission approved recommended water and sewer rate adjustments that will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
Staff said the recommended adjustments were developed from the 2024 water and sewer rate study. The city-specific increases are 4.34% for water and 2.15% for sewer; for the broader system that serves 11 partner communities, the average adjustments were 2.8% for water and 2.91% for sewer.
Public engagement: staff ran a 30-day comment period and, for the first time, staffed in-person tabling at libraries; they reported nine individual tabling conversations — three opposed, three supportive after hearing about investments such as the lead-line replacement program, and three neutral.
Commissioners had no further questions and approved both the city rates and the partner-community resolutions by voice vote.
What’s next: the new city rates take effect Jan. 1, 2025; staff will continue to track investments the rates support (including the lead-line replacement program) and report outcomes to the commission.
