By Roger Jimenez, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
For months, Apopka residents have voiced their discontent over increases in their water bills, but the trend is not likely to change anytime soon. In fact, the city council is now being advised to raise rates again.
The results of a Water, Wastewater, Reclaimed Water, and Sanitation Utility Rate Study were shared during the September 3rd Apopka City Council meeting. The study estimates costs and operations up to the year 2029 while outlining potential funding strategies for future development projects.
Related: Level up your bills: The smart guide to bill consolidation.
According to financial consultant Shawn Ocasio from Raftelis, Apopka's existing rates and revenues are insufficient to cover the necessary funds for the self-sustaining fund. Multiple factors contribute to the drastic need for funding, including the significant improvements to the water system, residential expansion, and a growing debt to cover many of these projects. Ocasio noted that Apopka is not alone, stating other Florida cities are also facing steep hikes, with municipalities such as Winter Garden, Fort Lauderdale, and Riviera Beach also seeing double-digit utility rate increases.
"This is something that all utility systems are essentially dealing with. Everyone's in a rising cost environment, the cost of not only just operations, labor costs, chemical costs, power costs, those sorts of things, also the cost of projects themselves." Ocasio said.
The proposed resolution calls for a 15.5% utility rate increase each year until 2027, and a 3.5% increase yearly until 2029.
Much of the discussion focused on impact fees—charges paid by developers to offset growth-related costs. While Apopka raised its impact fees in 2022-23, current state law limits increases to once every four years. Residents argued developers should contribute more, but consultant Henry Thomas emphasized that state legislators have made it increasingly difficult for cities to act.
"One of the things that I think is that we don't really understand what's going on here in terms of the laws and impact fees for developers," Thomas explained. "Everybody should be calling their state legislators because they're making it more and more difficult for local governments to implement impact fees… we've got a state legislature that's constantly undermining local governments and restricting your ability to do that by appeasing the developers."
When asked if the rate hikes could be lowered to 9% instead of 15%, Finance Director Blanche Sherman explained that the city would still face an estimated $64 million funding shortfall.
Local resident Ian Kimbrell shared his struggles during public comment.
"I'm a family of two, just my wife and I at home, no kids. We're very efficient at washing dishes, washing clothes, and watering our lawn… My water bill last month was $141. This month it was $123. So this average bill of $79 is ridiculous. I don't know who that's based off of. And I understand we're taking on a lot of debt, but at the end of the day, I also see on this agenda roughly 12 new orders, ordinances that you guys are going to be voting on today for new developments and new homes… if you don't have enough money to do it, don't build it. Simple common sense."
Commissioner Nick Nesta also wants change, but potential litigation from developers leaves the council feeling like its hands are tied.
"I'm not immune to these increases; I have two twin girls who like to use a lot of water…" Nesta said. "But we're concerned now that developers may sue us if we make it more difficult for them to develop due to the way the law reads. I don't want everyone to make a blanket statement that we all want to develop, and we don't care. I definitely care, I've been advocating to slow this down… But now the state has somewhat overreached and not allowed us to advocate on your behalf properly."
Mayor Bryan Nelson motioned the resolution with support from Commissioner Alexander Smith, but no one offered a second.
"I can't second it," said Commissioner Nadia Anderson. "I've received too many calls from residents who can't afford it, so I think we need to go back to the drawing board for the capital improvement plan and reduce those numbers."
With no other commissioners willing to second the motion, the council ultimately agreed to table the resolution until the next meeting in hopes of lowering the increased rate percentage.
