Home buyers and sellers in Perry Township are suddenly stuck in place after the city of Canton began refusing to start or transfer municipal water service, freezing a run of scheduled closings. Local real estate agents say the shutdown has stalled multiple deals and pushed some families to consider pricey workarounds like private wells. Township trustees and Canton officials trace the clash to annexation demands and a disputed development agreement, and both sides are gearing up for what looks like a long fight.
Every new water service request in Perry has been turned down since early February, and Canton’s water department has told residents that contracts signed after Feb. 5 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Roughly 4,000 township customers rely on Canton water. Perry trustees have set aside $10,000 to hire outside legal counsel, while some homeowners say they have been quoted more than $13,000 to drill a private well. Trustees are also looking at a possible supply deal with Aqua Ohio. These developments were reported by WOSU Public Media.
Canton Council Ties Water To Annexation
On Feb. 23, the Canton City Council approved Ordinance No. 23/2026 as an emergency measure that requires properties outside city limits to annex into Canton before they can receive municipal water or sewer service, according to the city’s meeting minutes. Council members framed the move as an effort to make township residents who use city infrastructure “share the cost,” a position reported by The Repository.
Closings Stalled As Buyers Scramble For Options
Local Realtor Kara Kirkbride told reporters she knows of at least a dozen Perry home sales that cannot close because Canton is refusing to transfer water accounts, and sellers say pending offers are falling apart when the city declines to sign off. One seller, Renee Charleston, said her family was told that deals signed after Feb. 5 would be denied, and that drilling a well was quoted at more than $13,000, a hit many buyers simply cannot take. WOSU Public Media documented those accounts.
Legal Fight Brews As Residents Wait
Perry trustees have rejected the city’s annexation push and say they have filed a breach of contract complaint while also signaling a willingness to renegotiate the joint economic development district. Trustee Matt Miller told reporters he plans to meet with Mayor Bill Sherer next week. The ordinance gives Canton a clear tool to condition utilities on annexation, and legal observers quoted in local coverage say Ohio municipalities generally have wide latitude when it comes to extending service. For now, township homeowners are choosing between drilling wells, pausing sales, or hunting for alternate suppliers while the political and legal battle unfolds. The ordinance text and council minutes remain available on the city’s website for residents trying to follow along.
