Utility Rate Updates for 2026

Posted on 12/29/2025

The City of New Hope has approved changes to utility rates that will take effect in 2026. The New Hope City Council approved the updated rates at its Dec. 8 meeting as part of the City’s 2026 budget.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, water and street light rates will increase by 5%. Sanitary sewer and storm drainage rates will increase by 4%. These services are funded through separate utility funds, meaning the fees paid by customers are used to operate, maintain and make improvements to the City’s water, sewer and stormwater systems.

The monthly fee for curbside recycling will increase by $1. This increase helps cover higher recycling costs, including the City’s biannual curbside bulky waste cleanup. The next bulky waste cleanup is scheduled for spring 2026.

Curbside organics recycling, which was launched last spring, will remain at $2.90 per month for now. That rate will increase to $3.75 per month once enrollment in the program exceeds 11%.

For an average residential customer using about 5,000 gallons of water per month, the combined impact of the 2026 utility rate increases is estimated to be about $6.30 per month.