Columbus City Council Has Approved a Major Utility Rate Increases for 2026

Columbus, Ohio – Columbus City Council has officially approved some of the most significant utility rate hikes the city has seen in more than two decades.

City officials say the increases are essential to expanding water, power, stormwater, and sanitation capacity as Columbus prepares for rapid population growth.

According to Jon Lee, deputy director of Columbus Water and Power, the city must invest now to keep pace with rising demand.
“These updated rates will help us build the utility infrastructure required for our growing population,” Lee explained.

Beginning January 1, 2026, residents will see the following changes:

• Water rates: +18%
• Electric power: +13%
• Sanitation: +8%
• Stormwater: +2%

City leaders say the additional revenue will support major expansion projects, including a new $2.3 billion fourth water treatment plant. To help reduce the strain on households, the city is also increasing eligibility and discounts for its utility assistance programs.

Lee acknowledged the financial burden:
“This is the largest rate increase in more than 20 years, and we understand the hardship,” he said. “But the investment is necessary, just like when we expanded sewer capacity two decades ago.”

Columbus is planning for a population that could reach three million residents by 2050. The upcoming water plant will increase total capacity to meet that projected demand.

Columbus City Councilmember Christopher Wyche noted that while raising rates is difficult, delaying infrastructure improvements would cost families more in the long term.
“We are trying to balance sustainable growth with fairness,” Wyche said.

The city has expanded its affordability programs to support low-income households. The income threshold has been increased from 150% to 200% of the federal poverty level, and discounts have risen from 25% to 30%.

Wyche emphasized that more residents should take advantage of these savings:
“Our programs could support up to 100,000 households, but participation is still low. We want more families to enroll.”

Overall, the approved increases will raise the average customer’s utility bill by about 12%.

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Stella Muigai