Commissioners advance multi‑year water and sewer rate schedules after presentation on infrastructure and drought resilience

The Collier County Board of County Commissioners voted Feb. 24 to direct the county manager to advertise a resolution amending schedules 1–4 of Appendix A to the Collier County Water & Sewer District Uniform Billing, Operating and Regulatory Standards Ordinance No. 2001‑73, with staged effective dates of Oct. 1, 2026, Oct. 1, 2027 and Oct. 1, 2028. The action followed a presentation by Jim Deloney, department head for Public Utilities, and the district's rate consultants.

For the record, Jim Deloney described system scope and long‑term funding needs: "All of these assets you see on this chart take continuous maintenance to stay in compliance with federal and state regulations. They represent $2,000,000,000 of infrastructure, on our books at historical cost," he said. Deloney and consultants emphasized cost drivers including power (citing recent FP&L rate increases), aging infrastructure that requires rehabilitation and sustaining a strong bond rating to secure favorable borrowing costs. The finance committee reviewed the plan and endorsed the recommended commercial paper program increase and the study's findings.

Commissioners followed with questions about emergency readiness and drought risk. Commissioner Saunders asked about backup power and generator testing for lift stations after Hurricane Irma; Deloney replied that while the district maintains backup power at major stations and can deploy portable generators, it cannot fully substitute for a prolonged county‑wide outage and that the district war‑games storm response annually. "We can put 600 generators out there… but to take it all on and be a substitute for FP&L, no," Deloney said.

On drought and supply, Deloney told the board Collier County benefits from a blend of aquifer sources and more than 40 wells that allow staff to manage drawdown and avoid compromising water quality; he said there were no immediate concerns about the county's water supply at the time of the presentation. The consultants also noted ResourceX reviewed the study and found proposed adjustments aligned with best practices; the finance committee endorsed the study 4‑1.

After the presentation and questions the board approved the motion to advertise the fee schedule amendments; transcript record shows the motion passed by voice vote. The resolution advertising step begins the formal adoption process, which includes public notice and a future hearing for final action.

Why it matters: The rate changes would affect water, wastewater and reclaimed‑water customers and are intended to support maintenance of an extensive, aging utility system while preserving credit standing and funding capacity for future system expansion. Discussion also highlighted operational dependencies on electric power during hurricanes and the district's planning to mitigate outage impacts.

What happens next: The county manager or her designee will publish the resolution and supporting schedules for public review; the board will hear the item for formal adoption at a later date once notice requirements are satisfied.