On June 13th, the New York City Water Board voted to approve a 8.5% increase in water rates starting from July 1, 2024, marking the largest hike since 2011. This decision stemmed from Mayor Adams’s request to pay new “rental fees” in order to fill the budget gap in the city government.
According to briefing materials released by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), for a household consuming 70,000 gallons of water per year, it is estimated that the water bill for each residential unit in New York City will increase by an average of $93 a year ($1,088 to $1,181), translating to an average monthly increase of $7.75.
Meeting records published by the Water Board revealed that the city government is collecting over $1.4 billion in rental payments, which is one of the major reasons for this water rate increase. Additionally, a resolution was passed by the Water Board on the same day, stating that due to Mayor Adams’s budget planning, they were forced to approve such a substantial price hike.
In a report by Gothamist, Councilman James F. Gennaro, who represents the Eastern Queens district, criticized the city government’s request as the cause of this water rate increase.
Canceling the rental payments collected by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection from the Water Board would require legislation from the state assembly. Councilman Gennaro introduced Bill 816 (Intro. 816), which mandates that the city government notify the public in advance of any fee changes when collecting rental payments from the Water Board.