City of St. Petersburg announces adjustments to utility rates

St. Petersburg City Council has approved adjustments to water, wastewater, reclaimed water, stormwater and sanitation utility rates and charges for the upcoming fiscal year, including adjustments to charges for notification of past due accounts.

Changes will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2021. Adjustments to sanitation and stormwater fees will be in October utility bills and adjustments to water and wastewater fees will be in November utility bills. The average utility customer will see an increase to their utility bill. The new rates for each utility service can be found at stpete.org/rates.

City of St. Petersburg utility rates and charges are evaluated during the annual budget process and are adopted annually upon City Council approval. Utility fees support the continued efforts to enhance the reliability of the city’s drinking water, wastewater, reclaimed water, stormwater and sanitation utilities. Fees also support the operations, maintenance and infrastructure of those utilities to meet the current and future needs of our community. Revenues from utility fees are directly tied to the costs of the specific utility they support. For example, stormwater fees directly support the functions that assist with planning, operations and maintenance of the stormwater system, which helps mitigate flooding, enhance water quality and minimize the environmental impact of stormwater pollution.

Utility fees are vitally important in supporting St. Pete’s aging infrastructure, most of which has reached or exceeded its design lifespan. The City continues to work on and incorporate utility master plan projects through the annual rate study program which support the continued resiliency and sustainability of City utility systems. Utility fees will continue to be evaluated every year to support infrastructure projects and master planning programs.