Water and wastewater rates are going up in Chatham-Kent.
On Thursday, at its monthly meeting, the Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission (CK PUC) approved a hike of approximately $132 for the average household this year.
The average household in Chatham-Kent will pay an extra $5.42 per month for water and an additional $5.49 per month for wastewater in 2026.
The rate hikes follow an approved Financial Plan for the water and wastewater rates since 2014.
The rate and fee increases are necessary to cover the treatment and delivery costs of water and wastewater, as well as providing sufficient funding for 2026 operations, maintenance, lifecycle, and debt financing costs.
Councillor Lauren Anderson said the increase is needed.
"Although we are seeing a significant increase, people will feel that $11 a month is reasonable. I think it needs to happen, it's reasonable, and it will set us up for the future for sure," said Anderson.
The municipality needs to spend $1.2 billion on water and wastewater capital projects over the next 10 years to replace aging infrastructure and maintain existing infrastructure to accommodate moderate growth.
