APOPKA, Fla. – Apopka residents could soon pay more for nearly every service listed on their city utility bill, adding another potential household expense as city leaders also consider a higher property-tax rate.
The city has notified customers of proposed increases affecting water, sewer, reclaimed water and garbage service. The utility proposal is real, but commissioners are not voting on it Wednesday.
A public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2 at 1:30 p.m. at Apopka City Hall. The higher rates would take effect Oct. 1 if approved.
What Apopka is proposing
Under the proposal:
- Water rates would increase 6%
- Sewer rates would increase 6%
- Reclaimed-water rates would increase 6%
- Garbage rates would increase 6.5%
The city’s notice says the proposal is tied to anticipated operating costs, capital expenses and continuing cost increases.
Exactly how much more an individual customer would pay depends on the services included on the account and how much water is used.
What customers already pay
Current monthly residential base charges include:
| Service | Current base charge |
|---|---|
| Water | $12.36 |
| Sewer | $26.29 |
| Garbage | $26.60 |
| Combined starting total | $65.25 |
That $65.25 starting total does not include most usage-based charges.
For customers who also receive reclaimed-water service, the combined base charges begin at $77.63 before most usage charges are added.
Property taxes could also rise
The utility proposal comes as Apopka considers a separate increase to its city property-tax rate.
The current rate is 4.4376 mills. City leaders have set a tentative rate of 4.6761 mills, an increase of 0.2385 mills.
That rate is also not final.
The utility and property-tax proposals are moving through separate processes, but both could ultimately affect the same household budgets.
Longtime homeowner wants details before paying more
John Voll said he has lived in Apopka for approximately 28 years and has owned his home for about 17 years.
Voll estimated that he currently pays approximately $65 a month for water and sewer. He said his biggest concern is not simply the size of another increase, but whether residents receive a clear explanation of how the additional money would be used.
“Just tell us where it’s going,” Voll said. “What are their priorities and how they’re gonna spend the money to do it?”
He also said paying more would raise his expectations for the service coming into his home.
“The quality of the water around here is not great,” Voll said. “I had to buy a house filtration system just to be able to drink the water that comes out of the tap.”
Voll’s comments describe his personal experience at his home. His central request to city leaders was for greater transparency about the city’s priorities and spending.
What happens next
The utility-rate timeline currently looks like this:
- Aug. 3: Customers notified
- Sept. 2 at 1:30 p.m.: Public hearing at Apopka City Hall
- Oct. 1: New utility rates begin, if approved
Until then, the existing rates remain in place.
For residents, the central question is now whether the city can show where the additional money would go — and what measurable improvements customers would receive in return.