Edgewater approved another utility bill increase. Here’s what residents will pay.

Edgewater City Council approved higher utility rates on August 3, 2026 and the increase took effect October 1. For a standard inside-city household using 4,000 gallons a month, the full bill rose from $162.69 to $173.59. That includes water, sewer, garbage, recycling, stormwater and water utility tax. Over twelve months, the new rate costs $2,083.08, an additional $130.80 a year for the same services and the same amount of water.

The vote was 3–2, with Councilmembers Dolbow, Thomas and Rainbird approving the increase and Mayor DePew and Councilwoman Gillis opposing it. According to the meeting minutes, Dolbow pointed to infrastructure projects that had already been delayed and argued that putting the work off would increase long-term costs. DePew questioned whether other funding options had been fully explored.

Water quality came up at the same meeting. Resident Robert DeVoe raised concerns about Edgewater’s water, and Councilwoman Gillis specifically described green-tinted water. Gillis said she was uncomfortable raising rates for service she considered unchanged or poor. Dolbow acknowledged the concerns and said improving water clarity would require a separate, costly capital project. Those comments belong alongside the increase: residents are being asked to pay more while concerns about the appearance of their water are still being raised at City Hall. The minutes record those concerns; they do not establish that the drinking water is unsafe.

Edgewater’s water-and-sewer charge at that usage is now $111.07. New Smyrna Beach Utilities publishes a $73.54 example for the same 4,000 gallons. Daytona Beach comes to $91.77 and Volusia County’s eastern service area to $93.76 under their verified 2026 schedules. Those comparisons cover water and sewer only. Compared with New Smyrna’s published example, Edgewater’s water-and-sewer charge is about 51% higher, roughly $450 more over twelve months at these rates. The examples use each utility’s standard small residential meter: ¾ inch in Edgewater and ⅝ inch in New Smyrna.

The full bill is scheduled to keep climbing too. At 4,000 gallons a month, the annual cost of water, sewer, garbage, recycling, stormwater and water tax was $1,952 before this October’s increase. Twelve months at the new rate costs $2,083. Applying the adopted schedule, that annual cost is projected to reach $2,669 by October 2030, or about $222 a month. That is roughly $717 more every year for the same usage and services. The projection assumes the schedule remains in place; future rate rounding may change the total slightly.

Stormwater accounts for nearly half of this month’s $10.90 increase in the standard bill. The charge rose from $14.58 to $19.61 a month, about 34.5%, and further increases are scheduled each October. By October 2030, stormwater alone is scheduled to cost $38.67 a month, or $464.04 a year, more than two and a half times the rate residents paid before this October. This charge is separate from water consumption, so using less water will not reduce it.

The stormwater increases come as the city prepares a major drainage program. Its completed master plan estimates approximately $152.5 million for the first phase, covering 2026–2034, and roughly $370 million for the full program through 2055. Some property-acquisition costs would come on top of that. The work includes more places to store stormwater, pump stations, and improvements to the canals and pipes that move it through town. The plan says the city will need substantial outside funding. This is a plan for flooding and drainage; it does not establish a fix for drinking-water discoloration.

Those project estimates cannot simply be divided among residents and called their future bill. The published fee schedule gives us a clear picture of the increases already scheduled. It does not tell us whether those increases, development fees and outside funding will cover every project, or whether residents will face additional charges later.

Some work is already underway. In September, the city announced a new pumping route from Duck Lake to the 18th Street Canal to help crews manage pond levels during heavy rain. It is a specific improvement with a purpose residents can understand. The rest of the plan should be explained just as plainly, with the projects, neighborhoods and expected completion dates attached to the money people are being asked to pay.

New development is supposed to contribute through impact fees, which council updated in September. Those payments are separate from the monthly stormwater charge on existing households. Residents need to know how much development will contribute and how much of the remaining work their bills will fund. The records reviewed do not identify a specific monthly charge attributable to Deering Park.

For residents who have dealt with flooded streets and water near their homes, better drainage matters. By October 2030, the scheduled stormwater charge alone will cost about $289 more per year than the rate paid before this October. The city should make it clear what that extra payment will deliver, which neighborhoods will benefit first, and when residents can expect the work to be finished.

How Edgewater compares at 4,000 gallons

These comparisons use the same 4,000 gallons and cover water and sewer rather than complete household bills. Edgewater, Daytona Beach and the county calculations use ¾-inch meters and exclude utility taxes. New Smyrna’s figure is its published example for a ⅝-inch meter. Garbage, recycling and stormwater are not included. A complete comparison of all household charges for New Smyrna and Port Orange has not yet been verified.

What changed on this month’s bill

For a standard inside-city Edgewater household with a three-quarter-inch meter, these are the charges under the old rate sheet and new fee schedule:

What the whole bill will cost

At 4,000 gallons per month, including water, sewer, garbage, recycling, stormwater and water utility tax:

By October 2030, the same 4,000-gallon household is projected to pay about $222 a month, roughly $717 more a year than under the rate paid before October 2026.

Annual totals mean twelve months at each stated October rate. Figures after 2026 are projections from the adopted schedule; future rounding may change them slightly. Optional reclaimed water and account-specific charges are excluded.

Where the yearly increases go

The adopted schedule sets annual water and sewer increases of 4.5%, garbage increases of 3%, and recycling increases of 10% from October 2027 through October 2030. The projection below keeps consumption at 4,000 gallons and includes water tax at 10% of the water charge.

These projections apply each annual percentage to the preceding year’s service charge and round to cents before calculating water tax. Future tariffs may round base and usage rates differently, causing small differences. Council can amend the schedule.

Stormwater’s scheduled climb

For a standard residential property billed for one equivalent drainage unit, the fee amendment lists the following increases:

The annual amounts are twelve months at each stated rate. The schedule establishes these recurring increases, but it does not establish whether every master-plan project is fully funded or what additional household charge might be needed later.

Sources

1. August 3, 2026 council minutes.
2. Adopted 2026 fee amendment; fee schedule, including future-increase table on PDF page 20, printed page 18.
3. Edgewater October 2025 inside-city rates.
4. NSBU September 2026 notice and published October bill example.
5. Daytona Beach October 2026 rates.
6. Volusia County East January 2026 rates; County West January 2026 rates.
7. Completed Comprehensive Stormwater Master Plan, May 4, 2026 agenda item. Full April 2026 plan, executive summary and Section 8. Downloaded and reviewed October 7, 2026.
8. City stormwater service explanation; master-plan scope.
9. September 28, 2026 Duck Lake improvement notice.
10. September 28, 2026 adopted impact-fee update.