Budget for the new fiscal year - Utility Rates Set

Published on May 08, 2025

The City's budget for the new fiscal year beginning May 1, 2025, is just over $221 million. This includes all operational costs to provide essential services (many of them 24/7) for 33,000 residents and more than 2,000 businesses, including:

• Police and fire protection
• Streets and public works services
• Utility services for electric, water, and sewer

Essential infrastructure improvements: Roads, water, and sewer

Also included in the budget is more than $49 million in capital projects to improve infrastructure. This year, the City will complete more than 13 miles of road improvements. Almost $20 million is for the water and sewer utilities to increase water well capacity and treatment, make improvements to the wastewater treatment plant, and replace infrastructure.

Water and sewer rates

The costs to provide water and sewer services has increased significantly over the last several years. This is mainly due to an aging infrastructure that needs repair and replacement and investments in additional infrastructure to support a growing community. Water and sewer rates will be adjusted by 5% for the upcoming year to address this. The increase will be effective for utility bills issued after June 1, 2025.

Electric rate

Although costs associated with the City’s electric utility also have increased, the City is not adjusting electric rates for the sixth consecutive year.

The City budget is on our website. For questions regarding the City budget or to better understand how City finances work, contact Bill Hannah, Director of Finance at bhannah@stcharlesil.gov.