Sewer rate adjustment begins with residents’ April 2025 billing cycle

Starting with their April 2025 wastewater bills, residents will see changes to their sewer rates.

Following the recent rate study analysis of sewer operations, the City Council passed this change in December 2024.

The City conducts a rate study analysis every five years to determine what rates are needed to fund the city’s wastewater treatment and maintenance programs.

“This year, we made it a priority to move the rate structure to recover more costs based on volumetric fees rather than on fixed fees,” said Dan Johnson, Public Works Director. “Users with more volume will see a larger increase than those using less volume.”

While the rate study recommends an overall average increase in sewer rates of 4.0% in each of the five years from 2025 to 2029, it is not an across-the-board 4% increase for all users. Residential users with small volume usage will see increases of 2.7% to 3% each year, while residential users with larger volume usage will see increases of 4.2% to 5.4%.

Residential sewer rates are based on a winter quarter average, using the water usage from December, January, and February to determine the monthly usage of the household.

Additionally, industrial users will be assessed a uniform fee designed to help recover the costs of operating and administering the industrial pretreatment and monitoring program. This rate structure better matches the revenue generated from the service to the system’s expenses by the user class, which is Commercial, Industrial, and Residential. As in past years, customers served who are not within the city limits of Joplin will pay those same rates, with a multiplier of 1.3, which equals a 30% out-of-town surcharge.

The City worked with Burns and McDonnell to convene the rate study and assist with preparing the information to present to the City Council and citizens during some public meetings.