LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — If last year’s water bill felt steep, the next one may climb higher.

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is back with another proposal to raise water and sewer rates for the regional system serving 112 southeast Michigan communities—nearly half of Michigan’s population.

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Specifically, GLWA’s fiscal year 2027 proposal calls for average hikes of 6.83% for water and 5.98% for sewer service, driven by aging infrastructure, rising operating costs, and lower investment returns.

The proposal comes after a bruising rate debate last year, when GLWA walked back steeper increases following public pushback. Even the scaled-down version—a 5.9% water hike and a 4.5% sewer increase—marked a break from the authority’s earlier norm, when annual increases were typically held to 4% or less. That cap expired in mid-2025.

GLWA officials say the higher rates reflect long-delayed work finally moving forward. More than 80 miles of water mains have outlived their useful life, and rehabilitation at wastewater facilities has accelerated with the help of low-interest state loans and grants.

Local reaction has split along familiar lines. Utica Mayor Gus Calandrino called the proposal “more reasonable” than last year’s plan but warned that repeated increases hit hardest for residents on fixed incomes. Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, meanwhile, said deferred maintenance carries its own cost—one paid in water main breaks and system failures.

A public hearing on the proposed budget and rates is scheduled for Feb. 25.