OVIEDO, Fla. – The first day of February brought a spike in utility bills for Oviedo residents.
Oviedo City Finance Director Jerry Boop explained the stormwater portion of the bill rose 25% from $11.72 to $14.65. The same portion will increase another 25% in 2026 and then 15% per year through 2029.
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The rest of the bill—reclaimed water, irrigation, water and wastewater—increased by 9%. That 9% yearly jump will continue through 2028.
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That means for a homeowner who pays $100 per month in utilities to the City of Oviedo, that bill will increase to around $108 as of this month.
Monday night, City of Oviedo councilmembers will vote on making the hike permanent, according City of Oviedo spokesperson Lisa McDonald.
“As our Finance Director stated during the [previous] meeting, there are not enough funds available in the stormwater enterprise fund to pay for future projects, which is why the city has proposed new Stormwater Utility rates starting Feb. 1,” McDonald said. “The city is currently seeking approval of new stormwater rates to address a series of stormwater capital improvement projects and to fund increasing operational costs affected by national economic inflation. "
Boop told city councilmembers at last month’s Council meeting there is no money available in city’s stormwater fund.
“We have no cash on hand for stormwater, period,” Boop said. “We’re actually underwater in stormwater.”
City staff told councilmembers 37 projects in water and sewer utility (pipelines, facility improvements) and 51 proposed capital improvement projects (creek, culvert, pond improvements) have been identified over the next 10 years.
“The capital projects represent varying levels of priority and are anticipated to be addressed over a 10-year period,” McDonald said. “While the stormwater utility is currently underfunded, there are a number of projects in different degrees of development to address infrastructure deficiencies.”
Oviedo homeowner Kevin Nowak said several residents on Orange Avenue have been notifying the city of drainage issues since 2022.
Nowak shared photos with News 6 showing the severe flooding in his yard after Hurricane Ian and hurricanes thereafter.
He said on a summer afternoon during a typical thunderstorm, Orange Avenue floods.
“The stormwater system was obviously damaged, compromised and or not capable of the water volumes,” Nowak said. “The drainage issues prior to 2022 were limited to roadway flooding, and Sweetwater Creek exceeding its banks just slightly then receding shortly after rains stopped which was the reasons for residents to notify the city.”
You can find an informational page on the projects and rate increase the city created by clicking here.
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