Wichita water customers to see their bills increase again soon. Here’s why

Wichita water customers may see their water bills increase again soon.

The city said it’s running out of money to maintain its drainage system, which is funded by the stormwater utility fee on customers’ water bills.

The city began collecting the fee in 2017 to pay for costly storm drainage projects, including the ongoing improvements along Bleckley Street in the Crown Heights neighborhood.

Water customers will likely see a dollar increase on their water bill beginning on April 1. Most residential water customers now pay $3.50 each month for the stormwater utility fee.

The council’s action Tuesday could also mean the fee could increase by 15 cents to $4.65 a month next year.

The council placed the increase on a first reading at Tuesday’s meeting, with final approval set for next week’s meeting.

The fee increases are needed to continue funding improvement projects, according to the city.

“We’re going to be challenged in the coming 10 years if we don’t look to do something sooner than later, even if it’s not today,” Public Works Director Gary Janzen told the council.

Without an increase, the city’s fund for stormwater improvements would be depleted by 2033, the city said. The increase the council approved would fund improvement projects until at least 2044.

Council members grappled with whether to raise rates as costs continue to increase for families in the city.

“Back this summer, I stood in cul-de-sacs and backyards ankle deep in water with the public works team,” council member Becky Tuttle said. “Some of it we can be responsible for. Some of it we can’t...

“We talk about deferred maintenance from this bench quite a bit, and this is an opportunity for us to really be assertive in this area.”

The dollar increase was passed on a 6-1 vote, with Wichita Mayor Lily Wu the only vote against it.

Wu made a substitute motion to increase the utility fee by only 15 cents, but that died because no one seconded it.

“I ... have heard from this community that they don’t like increases,” Wu said.

Water and sewer rates already have increased 7.11% this year, or about $4 a month for most residential customers, as the city continues to deal with delays at the new water treatment plant in northwest Wichita.

This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 1:44 PM.