Mayor Barlow Proposes $50 Reduction In Annual City Sewer Bill

OSWEGO, NY – Mayor Billy Barlow proposed today a $50 reduction to the sewer bill for City of Oswego flat rate users. The latest $50 reduction would follow a $200 annual reduction in 2019 and a second $100 reduction in 2021. Should the latest proposal pass, flat rate users would see their sewer bill reduced $350 total in the last five years.

The succession of reductions follows years of sharp rate increases, leading to previous outrage from city residents. Going back to 2010, rate payers have experienced drastic increases due to a federally mandated consent decree involving the city wastewater system, including a December 2015 increase just before Barlow and a new Common Council took office.

“Further reducing the sewer bill for flat rate users is a well-deserved give-back to city residents who have paid too much in sewer fees due to the failures of previous administrations,” said Mayor Billy Barlow. “The work our wastewater department, economic development department, and smart budgeting and strategic thinking has allowed for two previous rate decreases and we are happy to continue that trend by further relieving residents with this proposed decrease,” Barlow said.

Since taking office, lowering sewer bills has been on the forefront of the Barlow administration. In 2016, a commercial rate was proposed and adopted to ensure large commercial users were paying their fair share in usage, creating addition revenue. Since then, the city has secured approximately $10 million in grant funding to assist with the mandated consent decree work and upgrades to both wastewater facilities. The city finally completed the consent decree project, known as the west side sewer separation project, in 2021. Additionally, new commercial users have hooked into the city’s system allowing for additional revenue.

The Administrative Services Committee will vote on the proposal this evening at 6:30 p.m. at Oswego City Hall. If passed, a full vote by the Common Council will be held on Monday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m.

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