Urbanna looks to keep tax rate, hike water rates

There is no tax increase in the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026 Urbanna Town Council budget. However, if approved, the  in-town water rates will increase about 10% and out-of-town water rates will go up 5%.

The in-town rate will increase to $54.71 for the minimum 6,000 gallons in two months. Water used over the 6,000 gallons in two months will be charged at $5.08 per thousand gallons. Out-of-town bi-monthly water rate of the minimum usage 6,000 gallons bill will increase to $87.23, a 5% increase. Over 6,000 gallons in two months will cost $8.40 per thousand gallons.

The real estate property tax rate will remain unchanged at 21 cents per $100 of assessed value. The personal property tax rate will remain the same at 37 cents per $100 of assessed value.

In-town water rates have increased 23% since 2022 to gradually narrow the gap between in-town and out-of-town water rates, because granting and loaning agencies limit out of town rates to be no more than 1.5 times the in-town rate, said Mayor Bill Goldsmith.

Cheap water

Even with the water rate increases, Town of Urbanna water is the cheapest of any of the three water providers in Middlesex, and lower than municipal water rates of comparably sized communities outside of the area, explained Goldsmith.

Prior to the recent water rate increases, the town council did not raise water rates for 11 years.

But low water prices can be a problem when seeking grants or low interest loans, Goldsmith has stated.