BARTOW, Fla. — Residents in Polk and Pasco Counties will see a larger utility bill beginning in October due to increasing rates.
The water and sewer rates will increase starting on Oct. 1 for both counties.
In Polk County, the rate will increase by 6% and increase by the same percent every year through 2028, according to a county news release. The surcharge on water usage is meant to supplement the alternative water supply projects and will increase by 25 cents per 1,000 gallons every year until 2028. A similar surcharge will be added to reclaimed water usage, according to county officials.
“These rate increases are necessary to allow Polk County to continue providing safe and reliable utility service for our customers and our future,” Tamara Richardson, Polk County’s utilities director, said in a news release. “The county has been able to avoid rate increases for many years, but changing regulations and increasing demands for services require that we make adjustments.”
Connection fees, which are charged to new customers, will also increase from $2,844 to $2,941 on Jan. 1 and then to $3,038 on Oct. 1, 2025 for residential water service. The connection fees for residential sewer will jump from $4,195 to $5,182 and then to $6,168.
The residential and commercial water rates consist of a base charge and usage rates on the water bills. Residential sewer rates consist of a base charge plug and a capped per 1,000-gallon usage charge. Commercial sewer rates include a base charge per 1,000 usage charge.
In Pasco County, customers will see a difference of about $2.50. There will also be a small increase in the reclaimed water base charge and the Back-Flow Prevention Device fee. The reclaimed water base charge will be 41 cents more and the back-flow fee will increase by 22 cents, according to a news release.
A four-year rate schedule went into effect on Oct. 1, 2021 for Pasco.
Each county's utility rates were approved by the County Commissions, according to both county's website.