Oviedo residents could receive stormwater bill increase

Oviedo residents could soon see a stormwater bill increase after the Oviedo City Council told staff to research a 15-year loan for stormwater system improvements on Monday.

Mayor Megan Sladek said the council will meet to officially vote on this sometime in the coming weeks. If it’s approved, to accommodate the incoming debt Oviedo residents’ utility rates will increase by $2.93 per month at the beginning of next year.

The Oviedo City Council prepares for a work session at city hall on Monday evening. The council had two agenda items to cover and addressed concerns made by council members and city staff. (Photo by Makayla Gray)

Per home, Oviedo residents currently pay a $11.72 per month stormwater fee which goes toward maintaining the stormwater system, according to Tara Hollis, principal consultant for Willdan Financial Services, whom the city hired to research this matter. This is slightly above the $11.17 per month average that accounts for all cities in Central Florida, according to a graph provided by Willdan.

With the 15-year plan, rates would potentially increase to $14.65 on Feb. 1, 2025. According to another graph provided by Willdan, this rate, if the plan is adopted, would be projected to increase to $18.61 by October 2025.

Under the proposed plan, to repair and maintain Oviedo’s current stormwater system, the city will need to request nearly $17.5  million in loans, according to Sladek.

She said after the city is issued part of this loan, about $5 million within the next three months, rates could increase as early as January 2025.

City council had a work session on July 29 where members first discussed the analytical findings of this utility rate study. From there, three debt financing options were drafted for both stormwater and water & sewer reuse utilities. The other two options the council were offered were a 20-year or 30-year loan. 

After the council sided with the 15-year plan, Mayor Sladek said she’s “pleasantly surprised” about how affordable the loan is.

“We will fully own, and not be paying interest on, our newly spruced up stormwater system after 15 years,” Sladek said.

The newer water system will allow for faster moving water, which is why Sladek said residents probably won’t mind paying an extra $3 a month to have cleaner and faster water.

“It’s not just moving the water to keep you from flooding. It’s also making sure the water is clean enough that when it gets into natural water bodies… we want it to not cause algae blooms,” Sladek.

She said the best thing they can do as a city, in this situation, is prevent flooding by making sure retention ponds are able to hold enough water and that ditches stay clear.

“When people see a higher rate and you look at it and it’s structured as its own separate business and yet still transparent, you look at it like ‘Okay that’s simply the cost to keep the water flowing away from my house,” Sladek said.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the purpose of stormwater systems is to collect and manage runoff rainwater to prevent flooding and remove pollutants from water.

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