While Tulsa customers of Public Service Company might be staring a rate hike in the face as the utility goes before state regulators with a more than $1 billion request, they also could be hit with water bill increases at home.
That’s because the city of Tulsa’s proposed new budget includes yet another increase in utility fees. If approved by city councilors, it would tack on another $5.82 a month on average on top of the $4.71 increase implemented last fall.
The Tulsa Flyer reports the proposed utility fee increase is a rate adjustment under the $1.22 billion 2027 budget plan proposed by Mayor Monroe Nichols. The mayor contends his plan would attract another $18 million a year in revenue for the city.
“I know that an increase in monthly bills is never something that’s easy to hear, especially as affordability continues to be a challenge for residents across our city,” Nichols said at the April 22 council meeting, reported the Flyer.
“However, these adjustments aren’t about making a profit. They’re about the urgent reality of maintaining the invisible systems that we all rely on.”
The urgent reality he is talking about is water pipe maintenance, water treatment plans and other city projects. The city’s Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy (TARE) approved new rates 13 months ago and they were given final approval in April of last year by the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority. TARE is a 7-member board, including the mayor whose responsibility is to receive trash, recycle what is available and disposal of the remainder by burial or incineration.
As outlined last week by the Mayor, his budget would affect utilities and the bills paid by city residents.
Utility Rate Adjustments
To support critical infrastructure and long-term system reliability, the FY27 budget proposal includes utility rate adjustments to protect the City’s core infrastructure and keep pace with the cost of doing business.
As part of the rate adjustments, the typical residential customer can expect an increase of approximately $5.82 per month, reflecting a:
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7% increase for water
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4.7% increase for sewer
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7% increase for stormwater
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4% increase for refuse and recycling
These adjustments are based on professional, multi-year modeling and have been approved by the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority (TMUA) and the Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy (TARE). Utility customers who are signed up for EMSAcare will not see a change for that service on their bills.