Get ready to shell out more for your basic city services, Surprise residents. The City Council has put the stamp of approval on a new 5-year utility rate schedule that’s set to kick in on July 1. If you’re tossing trash, flushing toilets, or running the tap, expect your bills to see some jumps, but not all at once. The adjustments are part of a routine check-up on the rates for solid waste, water, and wastewater to ensure the city's infrastructure stays afloat.
The water rates are the exception to the immediate hike, with base rates holding steady until July 2025, at which point a 5% annual increase will start to drip through for the next three years. However, those who tend to vastly over consume water – we're talking about the top 1% here – will see their volume rates surge this year. For the rest, the 5% hike in volume rates is on pause until 2025. According to the City of Surprise’s announcement, wastewater folks are less lucky with a straight 5% yearly rise on the base rate each of the five years.
When it comes to solid waste – we're talking trash and recycling – brace yourselves for a steep 10% hike in July for the next two years, followed by a gentler 5% climb for the remaining time. Meanwhile, the stormwater fee will stay put, not budging an inch for the entire five-year span.
For those Surprise residents whose utilities are handled by private companies like Parks and Sons or El Mirage Water, you can breathe easy – this spike doesn’t concern you. Most residents will, however, feel the pinch of the wastewater rate adjustment, so it's worth checking out who your provider really is. The City’s website encourages folks to quickly sign up for a 5% prepayment discount on residential wastewater and solid waste services before the year ends to save some coin starting January.
