Water Board Approves 5.6% Water & Sewage Rate Increase

On May 10, the New York City Water Board approved a 5.6 percent increase in water rates for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1. This is the same rate that it had proposed earlier, in addition to raising fees for certain services.

Officials from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, including Commissioner Carter Strickland Jr., said during the public hearing process that the increase was the smallest in eight years due to more efficient operations at the agency. The DEP has seen four double-digit increases since 2007. The increase of 7 percent for the current year followed consecutive increases of 11.5, 14.5, 12.9, and 12.9 percent.

The increase, while the smallest in seven years, is the city's 17th annual hike for metered and unmetered water rates. The new rates for commercial and residential properties go into effect on July 1.