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Mayor: Columbus plan would raise Reynoldsburg water rates by 18%; council seeks discounts and follow-up
Summary
The mayor told council a Columbus-funded water-treatment project and recent Columbus council action would produce proposed increases — about 18% for master-meter suburbs, 12% for Columbus residents — and said Reynoldsburg and partner cities will pursue contract review and discount programs; council expressed concern at the scale of the increase.
At the Public Service & Transportation Committee on Dec. 8, the mayor reported on a joint meeting with officials from Columbus, Bexley and Gahanna about water-system funding and a proposed Columbus-led rate increase.
The mayor said Columbus is directing funding to a roughly $2.1 billion water-treatment facility and that Columbus had passed rate hikes the prior evening. According to the mayor, the proposed adjustments would translate into an 18% water increase for master-metered suburbs such as Reynoldsburg, an 8% sewer increase and a 2% stormwater increase; Columbus residents, the mayor said, would see a 12% water increase under Columbus' action. The mayor added that master-meter communities currently pay an automatic 24% markup under the contract and that Columbus attributed a 6-percentage-point difference as covering billing services, a point the mayor said the suburbs dispute.
"The proposed water rate increase of 18%, sewer at 8%, and storm at 2% is recommended for approval for this evening," the mayor said, noting Columbus agreed to review the existing contract and that the three master-metered cities would meet again in February. The mayor also said Reynoldsburg staff will do independent work to verify infrastructure costs and will explore discount programs for economically disadvantaged residents similar to Columbus' approach.
Council President Shannette Strickland responded that the proposed percentage was "outrageous" and pressed staff on what residents should be told about the coming increase. The mayor said alternatives are limited—switching water systems or building a new system would be long-term and costly—but reiterated the cities will continue negotiating and studying mitigation options, including programs tied to SNAP or other eligibility criteria.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about which customers would see the increases and how master-metering affects billing; staff said Columbus' residents would see a lower headline increase (12%) with suburbs absorbing an additional 6 percentage points under the current contract mechanics. The mayor said staff will bring concrete proposals for discount or hardship programs to council early in 2026 and that a follow-up meeting with Columbus representatives is scheduled for February.
What to watch - Staff follow-up and any contract revisions with Columbus after the February meeting. - Specific discount program designs and eligibility documentation staff will present to council in early 2026.
Attribution: Quotations and paraphrases are taken from committee discussion recorded in the meeting transcript.
