Your water bill may go down soon.
At Monday’s council meeting, Vermilion leaders said they want to undo the 48% water and sewer rate increase that happened last year. They asked the Clerk of Council to begin preparing legislation that would bring rates back to where they were in January 2024.
No vote has happened yet, but the council showed strong support for the idea and wants to move quickly.
What Sparked the Change?
Councilman Gary Howell shared a personal story. He said he saw an elderly woman at Drug Mart putting groceries back on the shelf because she couldn’t afford both food and her water bill. That moment, he said, was a turning point.
“I knew we had to do something,” Howell said.
What’s the Plan?
- After proposing rolling back to the 2022 rates, Council thought better of it after speaking with Administration, due to potential fiscal and legal commitments.
- Water and sewer rates would return to their 2024 levels — removing the 48% increase.
- The Clerk of Council is now writing legislation to make the change.
- Council may vote on the rollback as soon as May 2025.
What About the Water System?
Mayor Forthofer shared some helpful news: the EPA gave the city permission to create a smaller plan to fix the wastewater system. That means Vermilion won’t need to start the full $76 million rebuild right away. Perhaps potentially not having to build the very expensive wastewater treatment plant because…
The city will also continue exploring a possible connection to Lorain County’s regional sewer system, known as the 6119 project.
Next Steps:
Watch for a formal vote at the May 5, 2025 council meeting. If the rollback is approved, residents could see lower bills soon after.
