The OWASA Board of Directors will host a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget and rate increase at their meeting on Thursday, June 11, at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the Administration Building at 400 Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro.
OWASA is proposing a 4% rate increase for water and sewer services that will increase the typical household bill by $4.03 per month. If approved, this rate increase will go into effect for OWASA customers on October 1, 2026.
The proposed budget includes timely and critical projects, including replacing the drinking water Clearwell, which has reached the end of its useful life. The Clearwell is the critical last step of drinking water treatment. It stores drinking water, allowing enough time for complete disinfection, before the drinking water is distributed to the community. Replacing the Clearwell will cost over $100 million, making it the largest capital project OWASA has ever executed.
Additionally, OWASA continues to pursue a robust Capital Improvements Program to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our infrastructure. The ongoing W. Rosemary Street Water Main Replacement Project is replacing over 3,000 feet of aging water line serving one of downtown Chapel Hill’s busiest corridors. Later this year, OWASA will begin a Galvanized Service Line Replacement Program to replace all customer-owned galvanized water service lines to protect drinking water quality, as well as several other projects to maintain, upgrade, and improve our critical infrastructure. OWASA’s investments to improve the community’s water and wastewater infrastructure are supported by ratepayer fees alone, not taxes.
OWASA recognizes that these financial burdens fall particularly hard on our low-and-fixed income customers. Families struggling to pay their water bill can now apply for financial assistance directly from OWASA through our Care to Share Program. Care to Share assistance is supported by voluntary donations from OWASA customers and provides up to $250 per family per year to help pay their water bills.
Customers can sign up to donate (or change their existing donation amount) at owasa.org/help-my-neighbor-care-to-share. You can sign up to contribute monthly on your OWASA bill or make a one-time donation.
Members of the public can attend the public hearing in person or watch a livestream on OWASA’s YouTube channel. You may also submit written comments via email to the Clerk to the Board at gboyce@owasa.org, or via mail to 400 Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro, NC 27510.
Please contact the Clerk to the Board with any questions at gboyce@owasa.org or 919-537-4217.
