Birchwood Council adopts 2025 water and sewer rate increases, approves ordinance first reading

The Birchwood Village City Council voted to adopt a resolution implementing 2025 water and sewer rate increases and authorized staff to proceed with the ordinance process.

Treasurer Shelley Rucker told council staff that the increases respond to higher treatment charges from Met Council and higher water costs charged by White Bear Lake. She proposed raising the water flat fee from $40 to $50 and increasing usage tiers between about $0.56 and $0.78 per 1,000 gallons, which she estimated would raise an average household’s quarterly water bill by about $6.65. For sewer, staff proposed usage adjustments and a one-time lift-station replacement surcharge designed to raise roughly $20,000 to meet a grant match; the proposed changes would raise average quarterly sewer charges for many accounts by roughly $18.54 (including the temporary surcharge).

Council members asked whether existing Public Works reserves could cover the grant match and whether the special charge could be retired in 2026 when the one-time match is no longer required. Staff said grant reimbursements are typically provided on a reimbursement basis and that using reserves poses a short-term working-capital risk; the temporary surcharge was proposed to avoid drawing down reserves.

Council adopted the resolution to set the rates and scheduled a second reading and public hearing for the ordinance (Ordinance 2024-1201). Staff will publish required notices and correct typographical errors before final adoption; the council discussed scheduling a special meeting if necessary to meet statutory notice deadlines for an ordinance effective at the start of the next billing quarter.

The council recorded the motion and 'all in favor' votes; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally in the public record.