Sewer service charge increase for FY 2026/27
Summary
The first sewer rate increase since 2008 nearly doubles the charge from $78 to a $164.70 maximum per sewer unit to fund replacement of 50-year-old pipes. Homeowners flooded the hearing with opposition, but no majority protest emerged, and the council paired the increase with an $86.70 rebate for seniors, fixed-income and lower-income households that pay their taxes.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Aug 11, 2026.
Impact analysis
A typical household's sewer cost rises by up to $86.70 a year, with rebates available for qualifying seniors and lower-income families.
Every resident gets a sewer system that gets maintained and replaced instead of failing catastrophically; vulnerable households get rebates.
Property owners — especially seniors on fixed incomes — face higher property tax bills, and many told the council they can't absorb another increase.
Mentions & discussions (2)
City Council Regular Meeting - Aug 11, 2026
The first sewer rate increase since 2008 nearly doubles the charge from $78 to a $164.70 maximum per sewer unit to fund replacement of 50-year-old pipes. Homeowners flooded the hearing with opposition, but no majority protest emerged, and the council paired the increase with an $86.70 rebate for seniors, fixed-income and lower-income households that pay their taxes.
City Council Regular Meeting - Jul 14, 2026
Sewer fees could more than double, from $78 to $164.70, for a typical single-family home. Ballots were mailed to about 44,000 parcels; counting starts July 15 and the council decides August 11. Residents questioned the methodology and the sudden size of the hike.
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Lancaster
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.