Longwood delays water rate hike, weighs bonds for infrastructure repairs

Longwood residents will not see the planned water and sewer increase right away, but the city still faces the same repair bill. Commissioners have paused Ordinance No. 26-2282 while staff and elected leaders weigh bonds or a loan to finance overdue water and wastewater work, including a new water treatment facility.

That delay shields households, apartment tenants and businesses from an immediate jump in monthly bills. It also pushes the hard question deeper into the budget debate: whether Longwood will pay for infrastructure now through higher utility rates, or later through debt service, interest and possible future adjustments.

The city’s published rate table shows how steep the proposal was. A standard residential 3/4-inch water meter would have risen from $15.29 a month through Sept. 30, 2026, to $35.30 by Oct. 1, 2029. Residential wastewater meter charges would have increased from $9.76 to $16.08, and residential wastewater volume charges would have climbed from $8.33 per account to $13.73 over the same period. The utility page also shows annual CPI-based adjustments beginning Oct. 1, 2030, capped at 5%.

The ordinance, listed as Ordinance No. 26-2282, cleared first reading in a 3-2 vote on May 19. Staff then requested a continuance to the June 15, 2026 City Commission meeting, and commissioners voted unanimously on June 16 to remove the proposed utility and fee adjustments from the ordinance for now.

City leaders had said the increases were needed for maintenance, repairs, regulatory compliance, future capital needs and construction of a new water treatment facility. The issue remained in public view on May 28, when Longwood held a meeting on potable water treatment plant improvements. CPH Consulting presented a draft report on project alternatives, anticipated costs and the timeline for design and construction.

The pause does not erase the infrastructure gap. Longwood’s public works department maintains the city’s water distribution and sanitary sewer system, and city materials show leaders have discussed up to $150 million in debt capacity for water, fire and police facilities. For now, the commission has delayed choosing which mix of rates, borrowing and timing will pay for repairs, but the cost will still land somewhere, and whoever pays next will shape Longwood’s utility bills for years.