27-02-2025
Water, sewer rates on the rise for southeast Michigan communities
Metro Detroit residents are bracing for higher water and sewer bills this year after the Great Lakes Water Authority approved the largest system-wide service charges in over a decade. The rate hike was part of a budget approval with the authority's board of directors.
At a meeting on Wednesday, the six-member GLWA board unanimously voted to increase system charges by an average of 5.9% for wholesale water and 4.5% for wastewater for the 2026 fiscal year. The new rates, effective July 1, coincide with the expiration of a cap that limited increases to 4% or less annually.
GLWA's fiscal year 2026 budget is $954 million — up about $48 million from the year prior. Debt service, operations and maintenance comprise a majority of the budget. Inflation related to chemicals, utilities and service costs, along with initiatives to address corrosion control, flooding and service pipe replacement are some of the factors GLWA attributed to rising rates.
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'We understand that this charge increase will have an impact on our member partners, and in turn the residents of the communities we both serve," said Nicolette Bateson, chief financial officer and treasurer in a news release. "No one wants to implement charge increases," she said, noting the rate hikes were essential to "responsibly manage and maintain the regional system."
GWLA has 88 member partners who provide water services to approximately 115 communities and 19 on the sewer side of the business serving 79 communities in southeast Michigan.
Contact Kristi Tanner: ktanner@
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GLWA approves largest rate hikes as cap expires
