TriRiver Water rates and service fees for 2025-2026 have been approved.
Sanford City Council approved the rates and fees in June 2025 as part of the annual budget. A big goal of this year’s billing structure is standardizing fees for Sanford, Pittsboro, Chatham County and Siler City.
With all four areas now officially merged under the TriRiver Water umbrella (although still operated as individual cost centers), it was important to have the same type of services and fees throughout the group.
For example, Chatham County did not have an after hours reconnection fee because they did not offer that service. TriRiver Water does offer that service, so we wanted to bring it to Chatham County as well.
Another way TriRiver Water has standardized billing is making fees like account set up, sewer cleanout, Fats Oils & Grease, meter set, water tap, etc. uniform throughout the entire service area. These fees all simply cover the cost of the respective service (i.e. how much it costs to purchase and install a meter), so there’s no reason to have them priced differently in different areas.
Water rates, on the other hand, are not so simply derived. The rates are the main way TriRiver Water covers operating costs. Sanford’s operating costs are different from Pittsboro’s, which are different from Chatham County’s, which are different from Siler City’s. Each area remains its own cost center – for now.
The ultimate goal of these mergers is to reach a type of rate parity where the costs to operate the unified system are shared among all customers. That larger customer base would mean lower costs per customer and less volatility year to year.
But to reach rate parity the merger agreements for each area stipulated that they remain separate cost centers until capital improvements can be made to connect all the regions and have them working as one entity. The idea behind this was that customers in no service area would be forced to pay more to subsidize another area coming into the group. Each area’s rates cover its own cost of operation until capital improvement projects are finished and paid off, then we can usher in rate parity.
Sanford water rate change
Sanford water rates are going up 4.75% for both water and sewer.
That’s the lowest water rate increase since 2019-2020 and the lowest sewer increase since 2023-2024.
Sanford Rate Changes
| Fiscal Year | Water Rate Increase | Sewer Rate Increase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2016 | 0% | 0% | |
| FY 2017 | 2% | 2% | |
| FY 2018 | 0% | 0% | |
| FY 2019 | 0% | 0% | |
| FY 2020 | 3% | 3% | |
| FY 2021 | 5% | 5% | |
| FY 2022 | 12% | 6% | |
| FY 2023 | 10% | 16% | |
| FY 2024 | 6% | 3% | |
| FY 2025 | 6% | 6% | |
| FY 2026 | 4.75% | 4.75% |
Pittsboro water rate change
Pittsboro water rates are increasing by just 2% for both water and sewer.
Some fees have been adjusted to bring services and fees in line with the other TriRiver Water service areas.
Chatham County water rate change
Chatham County water rates will remain the same according to the approved 2025-2026 budget.
Some fees have been adjusted to bring services and fees in line with the other TriRiver Water service areas.
Siler City water rate change
Siler City water rates will remain the same according to the approved 2025-2026 budget.
Some fees have been adjusted to bring services and fees in line with the other TriRiver Water service areas.