DeKalb County Announces Update on Water and Sewer Rate Increase Timeline

Increase postponed while finalizing partnership with Urban League of Greater Atlanta and preparing public education efforts.

DeKalb County is delaying the implementation of the 10% water and sewer rate increase originally approved to begin on July 1, 2025, as the County finalizes its contract with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, its customer advocate partner, and completes public education materials.

The County believes it is important for the contract to be fully executed before the rate increase goes into effect and for sufficient time to work through processes in partnership with the Urban League to ensure seamless implementation of the program. Additionally, DeKalb County wants to ensure customers are informed about the support and resources available to them before the rate increase begins.

Approximately 180,000 DeKalb County residential customers will be impacted by the planned increase. The average current monthly water and sewer bill of $69.50 will increase by $6.90, bringing the average bill to $76.40.

This rate increase is necessary to address the County’s aging water and sewer infrastructure after decades of underinvestment. The additional revenue will support critical upgrades to ensure residents have access to safe, reliable water and sewer services now and into the future.

“Access to clean, reliable water is essential, and so is ensuring that our customers are supported,” said DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. “Delaying the rate increase will give us time to finalize our partnership with the Urban League and ensure customers know about the resources available to assist them before the new rates take effect. This is not about moving swiftly, but about moving responsibly and ensuring we get this right for the residents we serve.”

DeKalb County will provide additional updates regarding the new implementation date for the rate increase once the partnership and outreach efforts are in place.

For more information, please visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov.