Sanitary Sewer and Stormwater Utility Rate Increases
On May 19, 2026, the Allouez Village Board voted to approve an increase in sanitary sewer and stormwater utility rates. The following rates will go into effect beginning with the July 2026 bill which accounts for June usage.
Sanitary Sewer Utility
The rate increase was approved to address rising operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, primarily driven by increased wastewater treatment charges from NEW Water.
NEW Water, the regional wastewater treatment facility, accounts for nearly 75% of the utility’s $3.1 million O&M budgeted cost for 2026. To meet expected inflationary increases and NEW Water’s anticipated rate increases of five to seven percent each year, the Village must raise rates annually to keep pace with rising wastewater treatment charges. This approach will keep rate increases modest, and avoid dramatic increases associated with raising rates less frequently.
The Village’s sanitary sewer collection and conveyance system provides service to approximately 5,500 customers. The collection system, comprising of 61-miles of sewer and two lift stations, conveys wastewater to NEW Water (Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District) owned and maintained interceptor sewers. The wastewater is treated at NEW Water’s regional wastewater treatment facility.
Stormwater Utility
The rate increase was approved to adequately fund the operation, maintenance, and repair of the stormwater utility infrastructure.
The stormwater rate was last increased in 2024. At that time, the rate study supported an ERU rate of $11.50. Instead, the Village Board raised the rate to $10.50 per ERU and transferred $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds into the utility to defer the need for a greater rate increase. In an effort to strengthen the overall financial position of the stormwater utility, the ERU rate will increase to $11.50.
The Village of Allouez established a Stormwater Utility in September 2003 to equitably fund the stormwater collection system. The utility accounts for all stormwater capital improvements, operations, maintenance, and any other costs of meeting federal and state stormwater management mandates. In general, the Village’s stormwater system consists of street, curb and gutter, storm sewer, catch basins, manholes, culverts, swales, outfalls and regional ponds. The stormwater system’s purpose is to safely collect, convey and treat/remove pollutants from stormwater prior to being discharged to the East River and Fox River.
Attachments
- May 19, 2026, Sanitary Sewer Utility Rate Increase- Village Board Memo
- May 19, 2026, Stormwater Utility Rate Increase- Village Board Memo
- May 19, 2026, Village Board Minutes
- 2024 Sanitary Sewer Rate Study prepared by Ruekert & Meilke
Upcoming Water Utility Rate Increase
The Village has filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) to increase water rates. The rate increase is necessary to cover the costs associated with operating and maintaining the water distribution system including the repair of aging infrastructure.
In the rate increase application, the Village requested permission to change the billing schedule from monthly to quarterly. The request cites potential cost savings associated with less frequent billings, increased staff availability, and the potential to reallocate funds to offer a customer portal for the monitoring of water usage. That request and the finalized rates are currently pending authorization by the PSC and are anticipated to take place at the end of 2026.
