Sewer and Water Rate Increase Proposal

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Muskingum County Commissioners listened to estimated water and sewer rate adjustments that were suggested by the department heads. 

Muskingum County Sewer Department Manager Stan Lucas explained the need for the rate increases and his discussion with the commissioners. 

“So we discussed with the commissioners a water and sewer rate hike for Muskingum County,” Lucas said. “We was requesting a two percent rate hike. That would work out to about a dollar for every residential customer. The commercial accounts will all be two percent. Obviously with the way prices of everything is going up, we could use more than a two percent rate hike but with everything going up the way it is, we wanted to kind of cushion it a little bit so we’re just asking for a two percent.”

Lucas noted that there hasn’t been a water rate increase since 2016, nor a sewer rate increase since 2011 but overall inflation has increased significantly since the pandemic.

“If the commissioners would agree to this today, it would go up January the 1st. If not, that all depends on when they would like to do it,” Lucas said.

The two percent rate increase equals a $1 per month increase on residential water and sewage billing. It would also be applied in annual increments indefinitely. The commissioners asked for more time to consider enacting the proposal.