The first reading of an ordinance to amend the city's storm water utility rate is scheduled during Monday's Worthington City Council meeting.
According to an Engineering Department memo included in Monday's council agenda packet, the proposed 2024 Storm Water Utility Fund operating and Capital Improvements budgets -- as well as the Equipment Revolving Schedule -- are in the process of being updated. There was a 5.7% increase in the rates for 2023, and the stormwater management requirements for the community continue to increase.
The memo adds that the city is experiencing a significant increase in costs for construction along with the need to update capacity, failing pipe and structures. The current utility operating revenue is projected to be $762,000 in 2023. It is recommended that the rate be increased by $76,200 to cover inflationary costs of construction materials.
As proposed, the 2024 storm sewer fund budget will require a 10% storm water utility rate increase. The base rate, or annual residential rate per acre, required to meet the 2024 revenue requirements is $343.20 per acre. The current annual residential rate is $312.00 per acre. The area of a residential lot is defined as 0.24 acres, yielding a proposed 2024 monthly residential charge of $6.87 or $0.63 more than the current rate of $6.24. The annual cost will increase $7.56 per residential lot.
