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FAIRPORT HARBOR, Ohio — Fairport Harbor officials are considering phased increases to water utility rates through 2031 as the village seeks to address rising operating costs, avoid projected deficits and fund long-term infrastructure improvements.
The village worked with the Ohio Rural Water Association to complete a water rate analysis. It showed the water fund is projected to lose about $30,000 in 2026 before falling into significantly larger deficits by 2031 without rate adjustments, city records show.
Fairport Harbor Village Council gave a second reading Tuesday to the proposed ordinance.
Village officials said the proposal is designed to keep the water fund financially stable while covering operating expenses, debt service and future infrastructure projects.
Fairport Harbor’s last water rate study was completed in 2014, establishing rates through 2020. Water rates remained unchanged from 2020 through 2026, even as inflation rose about 31.5% during that period and roughly 44% since 2014, according to the village. Officials said the current rates have not kept pace with inflation or increasing operating costs.
Village Administrator Lukas Darling wrote that all revenue generated by water rates remains in the water enterprise fund and cannot be used for unrelated village projects. He also noted the village expects additional costs from federally mandated lead service line replacement requirements and maintaining a water system in which much of the infrastructure predates 1940.
Village Engineer Alan Frygier said the proposed rate increases would help fund several planned projects, including replacing about 1,400 water meters with an advanced metering infrastructure system over the next two years. He said the automated meters would improve billing accuracy, detect leaks more quickly and reduce staff time spent manually reading meters.
Frygier said the village also plans to add a secondary waterline connection with Painesville to meet state contingency planning requirements for three backup water sources. The project is expected to cost about $1.16 million, with roughly $929,000 already secured through a congressional earmark while the village pursues additional funding through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Mayor Timothy Manross said the new metering system would help residents identify leaks sooner.
“That’ll let a resident know almost immediately if they’re having an issue with a toilet that’s leaking or a water pipe that might have burst,” Manross said. “That doesn’t just save that homeowner money. That saves every one of us ratepayers here in the village money, because once that water’s passed that meter, it has to be paid for, right?”
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