Batavia council vote on electricity, water and sewer rate hikes

Batavia residents may soon be looking at higher utility bills, as the city considers hikes to its electric, water and sewer rates starting in 2027.

The Batavia City Council’s Committee of the Whole last week recommended approval of proposed utility rate increases that would take effect Jan. 1. The new rates are slated to come to the city council for final approval in December.

Also considered and recommended for approval was a resolution increasing city cemetery charges.

The city has largely pointed to a need to keep up with operational costs and provide funding for capital improvements as the rationale for the increases.

Among the hikes considered and recommended for approval was a 3.5% increase to the city’s electric rate, starting Jan. 1.

The city’s Electric Division is conducting a rate study with a consultant, but those findings will not be complete until the middle of 2027. Nevertheless, the city is looking to increase its revenues to “adequately fund capital projects as well as recover costs associated with day-to-day operations,” a city memo states.

Additional meetings are expected to discuss further modifications to the electric rate structure later next year, according to the city.

Batavia is similarly looking at an 8% rate increase for both its water utility and sewer utility. If approved, they would also be in effect starting Jan. 1.

The city is also looking to institute a $280,000 fee for new 12-inch connections to its water utility, having not previously charged such a fee.

According to figures from the city, utility costs in Batavia would still remain competitive with surrounding communities in light of the planned hikes.

Combined, the proposed rate increases would cause an average residential utility bill in Batavia to go up by around $13.21 per month, City Administrator Laura Newman said.

In addition to the proposed utility rate hikes, the city is also considering an increase to its cemetery charges. A measure amending the city’s code related to cemetery charges was also recommended for approval by the committee of the whole.

Batavia owns and operates two municipal cemeteries. The city has not modified its cemetery fees since 2022, when it set fees for 2023 to 2025, per the city memo. The fees for 2026 stayed the same as they had been in 2025.

Now, the city is considering increases of 3%, 2% and 1% for 2027 through 2029 for the fees for all services and plots, the city memo noted, and looking at a 1% annual increase in columbarium fees.

The proposed increases would also become effective Jan. 1, per the city. Subsequent increases would take effect on Jan. 1, 2028, and Jan. 1, 2029.

The approvals for these measures are expected to occur at the same meeting as the city’s 2027 budget adoption, slated for Dec. 7.

mmorrow@chicagotribune.com