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<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">P.O. BOX 6015 <br />COLUMBIA, MO 65205</p></div>
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<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">August 19, 2025</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Matt Nestor
<br />Public Information Specialist
<br />City of Columbia Utilities
<br />573.874.7307
<br />Matthew.Nestor@CoMo.gov</p>
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<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">City Council approves water rate structure change, to go into effect in October</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the Aug. 18 City Council meeting, the Columbia City Council approved a rate structure change for the Water Utility. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new water rate structure will increase the Water Utility’s revenue 12%, but is expected to decrease monthly bills for residential customers who have consistent monthly usage (an estimated 65% of residential customers).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new rate structure will take effect with the first billing cycle in October.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Based on Stantec Consulting’s </span><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="https://beheard.como.gov/29164/widgets/100765/documents/71609"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cost of service study</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, City staff designed the proposed rate structure to implement a revenue increase to maintain adequate cash reserves while recovering costs from users more closely with how their use impacts the system.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The base charge for residential customers will be $14.32, an increase of 25 cents per month. The commercial customer base charge for water is based on the size of the water meter. Customers can find the size of their water meter and amount of water usage on Page 1 of their utility bill. These rates can be found on the </span><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="https://www.como.gov/utilities/utility-rates/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utility Rates web page</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For consumption charges, the Water Utility is making three changes. First, the Tier 1 usage charge is decreasing from $3.22 to $2.30 per 100 cubic feet (or 1 ccf), which is approximately 748 gallons. Second, usage tiers will be applied year-round rather than only during the summer months. Finally, Tier 1 will extend to 100% of the customer’s winter average consumption (WAC).<br /><br /></span></p>
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<td style="width: 224px; background-color: 0079c5; text-align: center;" colspan="2"><span style="color: ffffff;"><strong>Current</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 216.953px; background-color: 0079c5; text-align: center;" colspan="2"><span style="color: ffffff;"><strong>Approved</strong></span></td>
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<td style="width: 51px;">Tier 1</td>
<td style="width: 135px;">0%-70% WAC</td>
<td style="width: 89px;">$3.22 per ccf</td>
<td style="width: 131px;">0%-100% WAC</td>
<td style="width: 85.9531px;">$2.30 per ccf</td>
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<td style="width: 51px;">Tier 2</td>
<td style="width: 135px;">70%-170% WAC</td>
<td style="width: 89px;">$4.44 per ccf</td>
<td style="width: 131px;">100%-200% WAC</td>
<td style="width: 85.9531px;">$6.33 per ccf</td>
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<td style="width: 51px;">Tier 3</td>
<td style="width: 135px;">More than 170% WAC</td>
<td style="width: 89px;">$6.89 per ccf</td>
<td style="width: 131px;">More than 200% WAC</td>
<td style="width: 85.9531px;">$10.20 per ccf</td>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For water service metered separately for lawn irrigation, $10.20 per ccf will be assessed on all water consumption.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A more detailed breakdown of the changes can be found at </span><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="http://beheard.como.gov/proposed-water-rates-fy26"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BeHeard.CoMo.gov</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia residents can get an estimate as to how the proposed water rate structure would affect them with the City’s </span><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiMmJlMmM2OTAtNTNlNy00ZjZmLThlNmEtZGYzMWYzNWRmYTIzIiwidCI6ImM5MzMwZTA2LTY4YTAtNDE3NC04NGE5LTI3MWIwZDViODgxMiJ9"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Water Bill Calculator</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. For information on how to use the tool, please see the </span><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="https://www.como.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Water-Bill-Calculator-Instructions.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Water User Calculator Manual</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The City’s utility billing portal, </span><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="http://myutilitybill.como.gov"><span style="font-weight: 400;">MyUtilityBill.CoMo.gov</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, includes an interactive dashboard that allows customers to track their historic water usage.</span></p></div>
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