Hialeah prepares for a spike in water prices

The city of Hialeah, one of the most densely populated areas in South Florida, is preparing for a new increase in the cost of drinking water and sewage service.

Starting from the next fiscal year - which begins in October - residents will see an increase of between 15% and 17% in their monthly bills, according to local press reports.

The news comes at a politically sensitive time: an interim mayoralty, municipal elections on the horizon, and a growing public discontent over what they already consider excessive rates.

An unpopular measure in an electoral context

The official announcement was made during a recent session of the Hialeah City Council, marked by an atmosphere of intense political tension.

There, the financial director Ruth Ruby explained that the increase is due to a rate adjustment imposed by Miami-Dade County, necessary to cover the operating costs of the local water and sewage system.

The discussion arose in response to a question from Councilman Bryan Tundidor regarding the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The debate escalated quickly, involving several members of the Council and the interim mayor Jacqueline García-Roves, who took office in April.

At the time, García-Roves had indicated that “water is one of the biggest priorities. We need to see how we can assist residents so that water is available to them,” as reported by Telemundo 51.

However, with the confirmed increase, political pressure on his management is intensifying.

The mayor called a press conference for this Wednesday, where she is expected to provide details on the impact of the increase and possible relief measures for the population.

Additionally, the Municipal Council has scheduled an extended discussion on the topic for the second week of September.

Controversy over the credit due to water leaks

Beyond the increase, another sensitive point addressed in the session was the credit policy for high bills due to water leaks.

The councilwoman Melinda de la Vega proposed to modify the current criteria, which requires that the bill for leakage be four times higher than the average monthly consumption, to reduce it to just two times the usual amount.

De la Vega argued that there are residents with very high bills who cannot access assistance.

"There are residents with bills of $1,700 who still do not qualify for assistance," he stated during the debate, as detailed by Diario Las Américas.

The official explained that she attempted to secure support for a neighbor whose bill, caused by a plumbing system malfunction, did not meet the threshold required by the city to receive the credit.

The proposal was not well received by Mayor García-Roves, who defended the current regulation and compared it to the county's policy: “In the county, this credit is granted only once in a lifetime; here we do it more than once, which is why we set the limit at four times.”

At the request of Councilman Carl Zogby, the Council decided to postpone the discussion on a possible reform until receiving the technical opinion of the director of the Water and Sewer Department.

How does the credit for water leakage work?

Currently, residents of Hialeah can apply for a credit if they experience a household leak that raises their bill to four times the average monthly consumption.

De la Vega's proposal aims to relax that criterion and allow assistance to be granted based on double the usual consumption, in order to broaden access to the benefit.

The councilwoman insisted that the case of the resident with a $1,700 bill, who did not receive the credit for not meeting the threshold, illustrates an “unjust situation that must be corrected.”

Frequently asked questions about the increase in water prices in Hialeah