CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville is considering raising rates for water and wastewater service, and Monday night, City Council will hear a first reading of a proposal to do that.
The policy briefing in the agenda packet notes the city runs gas, water, and wastewater services as non-profit and doesn’t funnel any tax dollars into those operations. The revenue to pay for the operation comes solely from service fees.
Because of that, Utilities Director Lauren Hildebrand, working in conjunction with City Finance Director Chris Cullinan, are proposing the water usage rate at $92.22 per 100o cubic feet of usage, the wastewater rate at $99.20 per 1000 cubic feet, and natural gas at $92.11 per 8000 cubic feet of usage.
Monthly water and wastewater service charges are also raised in the proposal.
Based on average usage of a Charlottesville home, the city projects the average customer’s bill would rise nearly $7 from $44.80 to $51.79, and the average wastewater bill would go up just over $4 from $48.12 to $52.18.
The resident’s natural gas bill will go down $1.50 from the current $66.04 average to $64.53.
“The need for investment in City utility systems is not without cost, but City utility rates must also be balanced with the need for continued affordability for our customers,” according to the policy briefing.
Included in Monday’s consent agenda, items that don’t require public hearing and are expected to unanimously pass through Council unopposed, is a proposal to donate city land to VDOT for a roundabout to replace the currently signaled Rio Road East/John Warner Parkway intersection in front of CATEC.
The other land donation City Council will hear about is donation of easements on city-owned land near the Free Bridge for installation of drainage infrastructure associated with VDOT’s plan for improving the Route 250/Route 20 intersection as well as corridor improvements of both roads.
Nearly all of this project will be done in Albemarle County, but VDOT needs easements on city property in order to build the drainage infrastructure needed for the project.
Since these land donations are city-owned property to another public entity for the purposes of transportation improvements, no public hearing is required and Council can pass authorize those donations Monday night.
City Council will also consider, in the first of two readings, appropriating unexpected revenues from 2025 of $356,805 to the Streets and Sidewalks Division operating budget. According to the policy briefing, that money could be used by that division “to cover unforeseen snow and other costs, and to support remaining fiscal year expenses.”
“The Streets and Sidewalks division generated and collected additional revenue during FY 2026, which was not originally included in the department’s budget. This supplemental income amounts to $224,816 and has been received through various sources, such as reimbursements for overtime expenses related to special events and concrete work, insurance reimbursements, restitution for damaged City property, and proceeds from the sale of surplus property. Furthermore, as part of its FY 2025 closeout, Jaunt returned $131,989 to the City. Combined, these unanticipated revenue sources total $356,805,” according to the briefing.
In the final action item Monday, Council will consider appropriating a large chunk of money, a little of $16.8 million, received from the Federal Transit Administration and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation for CAT capital projects.
According to the policy briefing, “The FY25 and FY26 Grant Award includes the following: two (2) Expansion Battery Electric Vehicles, as part of the BEV’s Pilot Program, Battery Electric Vehicles Infrastructure, eleven (11) 35 FT Diesel Replacement Buses, Passenger Stop Amenities, CAD/AVL (Computer Assisted Dispatch/Automative Vehicle Locator System) Software and Equipment, three (3) Support Vehicles, and Maintenance Shop Equipment.”
Monday will be the first reading, and although there’s a public hearing, Council cannot take action.
