Water and sewer fee increases considered on Longboat Key

Water and sewer fees are etched into Longboat Key town code, but that could soon change.

The Longboat Key Town Commission unanimously passed an ordinance at its Dec. 8 meeting that would allow for water and sewer fees to change via resolution instead of ordinance. That would allow changes to fees and rates to be made at a single meeting rather than at two subsequent meetings.

Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton said that the change is being made to make the process of updating water and sewer fees and rates simpler.

A memo from Longboat Key Utilities Manager Jessie Camburn explains that updating the town's one-time fee structure is past due, with changes last made in 2017. A lot has changed since then, Camburn said.

“The fees no longer reflect the current costs, due to inflation and other economic pressures,” the memo states. “The proposed adjustments aim to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the town’s water and sewer services, protect the infrastructure, and meet new regulatory requirements.”

A presentation by Camburn showed certain fee changes proposed, including raising the after-hours water service turn-on fee from $115 to $285, raising the delinquent turn-off/turn-on fee from $75 to $95 and adding a $95 fee for a request to remove a water meter.

Mayor Ken Schneier emphasized that water and sewer rates for established residents would not change.

“I know that several years ago we did a very large-scale analysis rejigging those fees, largely to make sure that we were covering costs over time with the subaqueous lines and other things,” Schneier said. “So I just wanted to clarify that we’re not doing anything to effect the monthly bills to customers as part of this action today.”

The highest-dollar change involves fire hydrant meter deposits. According to Camburn’s presentation, Florida Fire Prevention Code requires that fire hydrant meters have backflow preventers. Those without backflow preventers require a $500 refundable deposit during installation, but a proposed change would raise that deposit to $4,044 (including a $150 water deposit).

The ordinance to change how sewer and water fee and rate changes are done needs to be approved at one more Town Commission meeting. Then, fee changes can be approved by commissioners via resolution instead of ordinance in the future.