ORLANDO, Fla. — With hurricane season approaching, the city of Orlando is highlighting the importance of stormwater infrastructure improvements and their reasoning behind a proposed rate hike to prevent flooding.

What You Need To Know

  • The city of Orlando is proposing a four-year, tiered stormwater utility fee increase billed annually beginning Oct. 1 for the 2025 fiscal year

  • A community open house is happening on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Orlando City Hall to show how the increase will impact homeowners

  • The rate varies depending on the size of a homeowner’s property and it will increase year by year

A community open house is happening on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Orlando City Hall to show how the increase will impact homeowners.

The city is proposing a four-year, tiered stormwater utility fee increase billed annually beginning Oct. 1 for the 2025 fiscal year.

Public Works Director Corey Knight said that on an average 2,000 square-foot home, the monthly stormwater utility fee right now is about $10. With the proposed stormwater utility fee for 2025, it will increase to about $13.50.

The rate varies depending on the size of a homeowner’s property and it will increase year by year.

City officials said they commissioned a study to look at the amount of fees they’re currently collecting through their stormwater utility rate.

“Since our fee really hasn’t been increased since 2008, the study showed that we probably need to raise those fees,” said Knight.

He says the increase will help with maintenance and projects in the city of Orlando for flood prevention, reducing pollution, improving water quality and investing in stormwater systems.

The total stormwater utility fee assessed on all parcels in the city is projected to generate approximately $34,617,155 in total revenue in 2025; $43,272,947 in total revenue in 2026; $51,928,756 in total revenue in 2027; and $54,525,130 in total revenue in 2028.

The city says that money is all used exclusively for the city of Orlando stormwater utility projects.