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Century Water Rates Could Nearly Double In Effort To Keep System Afloat
March 4, 2026
Town of Century water system customers are facing a potential rate hike that would nearly double the cost of water usage, alongside smaller increases for wastewater.
Dyana Jo Stewart of the Florida Rural Water Association (FRWA) told the Century Town Council this week that it must raise rates in order to remain financially viable and make payments on six outstanding loans. As a member, Century received the rate study at no cost from the non-profit FRWA.
FRWA presented two rate hike recommendations: one with a large increase now, the second with three small increases over the next two-and-a-half years that will actually cost consumers more. The town council did not choose either scenario this week**,** but is expected to finalize plans at its March 17 meeting.
The council has also scheduled a public meeting for next Tuesday, March 10, at 6:15 at town hall to hear public input.
“Do you want to go ahead and take the hit and be done, or look at doing it for the next few years?” Stewart asked. She said the current rate structure will only lose money and not sustain the water utility. “If you don’t do it by April 1, you will have to use more of your reserves; you might have to borrow more money to balance out the end of the fiscal year.”
“That’s a hard decision we have to make,” Councilman John Bass said. “We are going to have to do this. I want to make sure we are transparent with the citizens.”
“It’s going to be an increase,” Council president Dynette Lewis said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s right after something we just came off of,” she added, referring to a recent sanitation fee increase.
Click any table below to enlarge.
SCENARIO – BIG INCREASE NOW
The first scenario would double the current base rate for 2,000 gallons from the current $13.59 to $26.64 beginning April 1 and continue for three years before incremental increases to $29.11 in 2029. Usage tiers over 2,000 gallons a month would increase nearly double up to 5,000 gallons (from $2.59 to $5.08) with other increases for additional usage.
For an average customer using an average 5,000 gallons of water per month, the water cost would rise from $21.36 to $41.87 while the study says combined water and wastewater cost would rise from $48.95 per month to $70.84 in April, with additional increases to $80.56 by 2029. That study says that is comparable to other towns of similar size.
SCENARIO 2 — SERIES OF THREE STEP INCREASES
In the second scenario presented by the FRWA, there would be three smaller increases — April 1, 2026; October 1, 2026; and October 1, 2027.
Under the second option, the base rate would increase from $13.59 for 2,000 gallons to $20.39 before going to $25.48 in 2027 and $29.74 by 2029.
The average user consuming 5,000 gallons per month would see their water and wastewater bill increase from a current $48.95 to $61.01 in April and eventually $81.95 in 2029 for water and wastewater.
Under both scenarios, there would be additional small increases for wastewater and, in future years, increases based upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to account for inflation.
Pictured top: Dyana Jo Stewart of the Florida Rural Water Association (FRWA) addresses the Century Town Council. NorthEsscambia.com photo/graphics, click to enlarge.
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