Water rate increase still looming for Trumbull County customers
Trumbull County Sanitary Engineers say time is ticking for a water rate increase. The department has been absorbing the cost of bulk water rate increases for the past ten years. Now, if they don’t increase rates by May they’ll fall into the red.
“That’ll be a situation we've never been in before so I'm not sure what the repercussions are when we can't pay one of the bulk water suppliers,” Gary Newbrough, the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer said.
Currently, customers pay between $6 and $10. Newbrough said they need to increase that to at least $12 per thousand gallons for this year.
“That's the bare bones needed for us to break even,” Newbrough said.
The sanitary department's proposal also includes slight hikes for the following two years with rates going to $12.25 Jan. 1, 2026 and $12.50 Jan. 1 , 2027.
Commissioner Tony Bernard suggested the idea of an audit of the sanitary district. Engineers said they're already audited by the state every year, adding they would welcome an audit because they're confident they’ve already cut everything they can.
“If there is something it would be a surprise to me,” Newbrough said. "There is absolutely no fat to trim here."
The sanitary district gets their water from four different bulk suppliers - the city of Youngstown, Warren, Newton Falls and Niles. All suppliers have raised their rate over the past ten years but the sanitary department has eaten that cost instead of passing it onto the customer.
The commissioners tabled the rate proposal at their regular meeting at the end of March.
Commissioners Rick Hernandez and Denny Malloy both told 21 News that they support an audit from the state. Hernandez said he is in favor of the rate increases that the sanitary department is suggesting. Malloy said he will present his plan for rate adjustments at Thursday's commissioner meeting.
It's unclear if the issue will be voted on at the meeting. If the commissioners pass the rate increase before May 1 then customers will see their bills change immediately.
Moving forward, Trumbull County is firm on passing along any rate increases from the water supplier to the customer - dollar for dollar - to keep the budget steady.
The county’s sanitary department needs $9.5 million in revenue to operate currently. $5.5 million of that goes into paying for bulk water and $4 million go towards operating costs.
Newbrough said they are working on projects right now to try and stop buying water from some of the more expensive suppliers. Champion and Bazetta customers are supplied water from the city of Warren while Braceville customers are supplied by Newton Falls. Since Warren's water rates are lower, engineers are working on connecting Braceville customers to Warren's lines.
“We can close the valve on the more expensive water coming out of Newton Falls,” Newbrough said about what will happen once the project is done in about a year.
Newbrough also said if they increase their customer base it will increase their revenue and help their budget.
If the county just increases rates for customers that get water from the most expensive suppliers then the rates could skyrocket. A study done in 2021 found that if the county goes that route, Braceville customers would see their rates go up to $16.17 and Warren Townships would go up to $28.19 per thousand gallons.
“[That] to us is just excessive,” he said.
If a rate increase is approved all 11,691 customers that get their water from the county would have the same rate per thousand gallons.
Bob Maiorano, the Trumbull County Sanitary Department Controller said if the commissioners don’t make a decision and the department falls into the red, all customers will still get water but the department would begin racking up outstanding bills.
