North Canton Approves Increased Water and Sewer Rates Beginning in 2027

Residents will move to a new billing structure next year, followed by annual increases through 2031

North Canton City has approved a new five-year water and sewer rate schedule that will change how residential customers are billed and increase charges beginning in 2027. Council passed Ordinance 24-2026 on July 6, following its third reading, and Mayor Matthew Stroia signed the legislation the same day. Although the ordinance has been approved, the new rates will not appear on bills until the billing cycle that includes January 1, 2027.

The proposal was first included in a publicly posted Committee of the Whole agenda dated June 5 and discussed by the Utilities Committee on June 8. It received its first council reading June 15, its second reading June 22 and its third reading and final passage July 6.

The immediate change in 2027 is impactful for many residential customers because North Canton is also changing the structure of its water and sewer bills.

The city currently lists residential sewer service at a flat $33.50 per month. Current inside city residential water use is charged at $7.10 per 1,000 gallons for customers using no more than 15,000 gallons per month. A standard 5/8-inch residential meter carries a minimum consumption level of 2,000 gallons.

Beginning in 2027, both water and sewer charges will be based on meter size and usage. For an inside-city customer with a standard 5/8-inch meter, the 2027 water minimum will be $17.90 and will include the first 2,000 gallons. Each additional 1,000 gallons will cost $6.75.

The sewer minimum will be $42 and will also include the first 2,000 gallons. Each additional 1,000 gallons will add $4 to the sewer bill. That means residential sewer service will no longer remain at one flat monthly amount. Customers using more than 2,000 gallons will pay an additional sewer usage charge.

An example using 4,000 gallons

Consider an inside city household with a standard meter that uses 4,000 gallons in one month.

Under the current 2026 structure, its water charge would be:

4,000 gallons × $7.10 per 1,000 gallons = $28.40

Adding the current $33.50 flat sewer charge produces a combined water and sewer bill of:

$28.40 + $33.50 = $61.90

Under the 2027 structure, the first 2,000 gallons are included in the water minimum. The remaining 2,000 gallons would be billed at $6.75 per 1,000 gallons:

$17.90 minimum + $13.50 additional usage = $31.40 for water

The first 2,000 gallons are also included in the sewer minimum. The remaining 2,000 gallons would add $8:

$42 minimum + $8 additional usage = $50 for sewer

The combined 2027 charge would therefore be:

$31.40 + $50 = $81.40

For that household, the combined water and sewer charge would rise from $61.90 to $81.40, an increase of $19.50 per month, approximately 31.5%.

If the household used the same amount every month, the difference would total approximately:

$19.50 × 12 months = $234 more per year

The example does not include garbage charges, stormwater charges, late penalties or other possible items on a utility bill. It applies to an inside-city customer with a 5/8-inch meter and assumes identical monthly consumption.

Even minimum-use customers will pay more

A household using only the 2,000 gallons included in the minimum currently pays approximately $14.20 for water and $33.50 for sewer, for a combined charge of $47.70.

In 2027, the same 2,000 gallons would produce a $17.90 water charge and a $42 sewer charge, totaling $59.90.

That is an increase of:

$59.90 − $47.70 = $12.20 per month

The change represents an increase of approximately 25.6%, or $146.40 over 12 months, assuming the household uses 2,000 gallons each month.

Rates continue rising through 2031

After the billing system changes in 2027, the ordinance raises both water and sewer rates by approximately 5% each year from 2028 through 2031. The following amounts apply to an inside-city customer with a standard 5/8-inch meter. Each minimum includes the first 2,000 gallons.

Year	Water minimum	Sewer minimum	Combined minimum	Additional water and sewer per 1,000 gallons
2027	$17.90	$42.00	$59.90	$10.75
2028	$18.80	$44.10	$62.90	$11.29
2029	$19.73	$46.31	$66.04	$11.85
2030	$20.72	$48.62	$69.34	$12.44
2031	$21.76	$51.05	$72.81	$13.06

The combined minimum rises from $59.90 in 2027 to $72.81 in 2031, an increase of $12.91 per month, or approximately 21.6% over those four annual increases.

For a household continuing to use 4,000 gallons per month in 2031, the calculation would be:

Water: $21.76 minimum + $16.40 for 2,000 additional gallons = $38.16

Sewer: $51.05 minimum + $9.72 for 2,000 additional gallons = $60.77

Combined 2031 charge: $98.93 per month

Compared with the current estimated charge of $61.90 for 4,000 gallons, that would be $37.03 more per month, approximately 59.8% higher, or $444.36 more over 12 months.

Why the city changed the rates

The ordinance says studies of North Canton’s water and sewer rates, revenues and assets recommended changes to the billing system. For water service, the city is adopting meter size ratios based on American Water Works Association standards. Larger meters will have higher minimum charges because they can draw larger quantities of water from the system. Water billing will also move from increasing consumption blocks to fixed rates for additional usage.

For sewer service, the city is replacing the current flat residential charge with a structure based on meter size and actual water use. The amount of water entering a property will be used to calculate the usage portion of its sewer bill.

City documents describe the changes as necessary to maintain infrastructure and services and improve the financial sustainability of the systems. The ordinance also requires North Canton to review its water and sewer rates annually, or at least once every three years. Customers located outside North Canton’s corporate limits will be charged 170% of the corresponding inside-city rate. Because their included usage and water rates differ, the examples above should not be used to estimate outside-city bills.

Properties outside North Canton’s corporate limits that receive city utility service are subject to separate, higher rates. In 2027, the water minimum for an outside-city customer with a 5/8-inch meter will be $30.43 and include 3,000 gallons. The sewer minimum will be $71.40 and include 2,000 gallons, producing a lowest possible combined charge of $101.83. At 3,000 gallons, however, the combined charge would be $108.63 because the third 1,000 gallons would add $6.80 to the sewer bill.