Public Workshops

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Rate Study and Fees

Public Workshops and Materials

Public participation shapes the rate study. This page is the permanent record of every workshop, presentation, and community conversation held as part of the process, so the public and the City Council can reference what was presented and what was heard.

Historical record. This page documents what was presented at each public workshop on the dates listed. Rate values shown for completed workshops reflect the proposal as it stood on the workshop date and may have been refined since. For the current proposed rates and the status of each rate study element, see Rate Study Status.
Completed

Public Workshop 1: Understanding the Need

November 20, 2025

The first workshop introduced the stormwater funding challenge, explained why a rate change was being considered, and gathered community feedback on flooding concerns and service priorities.

Topics covered

  • Overview of Newport’s stormwater system and infrastructure needs
  • Why the current funding approach (stormwater costs embedded in the sewer rate) is no longer aligned with the cost of service
  • Community feedback on flooding and neighborhood drainage concerns
  • Launch of the community survey

What we heard

  • 75 percent of respondents rate flooding and drainage as very or most important
  • 50 percent somewhat understand current water and sewer billing; 30 percent understand it very well; 15 percent not at all
  • Three recurring themes: flooding, fairness, and affordability
Download Presentation (PDF)
Completed

Public Workshop 2: Stormwater Rate Restructuring Framework

April 1, 2026 | Aligning Costs with Service, Fairness, and System Reliability

The April 1 workshop presented the proposed rate framework, including the dedicated stormwater fee based on impervious area and the restructured wastewater rate with a rebalanced fixed charge.

Topics covered

  • Feedback from Workshop 1 and the community survey
  • The cost recovery mismatch in the current rate structure
  • Proposed wastewater rate restructuring and stormwater fee framework
  • Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) methodology (1 ERU = 2,400 square feet of impervious area)
  • Typical bill impact examples across residential and non residential property types
  • Protections, considerations, and next steps

Key findings as presented on April 1, 2026

  • Proposed volumetric sewer rate reduction from $25.97 to $18.65 per 1,000 gallons
  • Most single family residential customers see a small decrease
  • Most non residential customers see a small increase, concentrated on properties with large impervious area relative to water use
  • Residential revenue share shifts slightly from 34 percent to 37 percent of total utility revenue
Refinements since this workshop. The proposed rate structure has been documented in greater detail in subsequent rate study materials. Two refinements relative to what was presented on April 1, 2026:
  • Per ERU stormwater rate: Refined from $14.62 to $14.73 per ERU per month to maintain system level revenue neutrality after a refinement to the Tier 3 ERU value.
  • CSO Annual Fixed Fee replacement: The proposed wastewater rate restructuring now explicitly retires the CSO Annual Fixed Fee (currently $28.15 per month for a 5/8 inch meter) and replaces it with a meter size based sewer base charge. Total cost recovery is preserved; CSO Long-Term Control Plan obligations under the federal Consent Decree continue to be funded under the proposed structure. This framing has been added across the Rate Study cluster pages since April 1.
For the current proposed rates and the status of each rate study element, see the Rate Study and Fees overview, Wastewater Rate Restructuring, and Stormwater Fee pages.
Download Presentation (PDF)
Upcoming

Public Workshop 3: Rate Structure and Fairness

Summer 2026 | Date to be announced

The next workshop will focus on refinement of the ERU methodology, property type examples, and fairness considerations raised in the public comment period.

Anticipated topics

  • Final ERU methodology and tier structure
  • Specific property type impact examples based on community input
  • Response to recurring questions and comments received since April
  • Introduction of the credit program framework
Materials will be posted after the workshop.
Planned

Public Workshop 4: Billing and Program Features

Fall 2026 | Date to be announced

The fourth workshop will cover billing presentation, the credit program details, and a summary of feedback received across the engagement process.

Anticipated topics

  • Detailed credit program for residential and non residential customers
  • How stormwater and sewer charges will appear on the utility bill
  • Summary of community feedback and themes
  • Pre adoption review and Council process
Materials will be posted after the workshop.

How to Provide Feedback

Public comment is open throughout the rate study process. All comments are retained as part of the public record.

  • Email: ratestudy@NewportRI.gov
  • Phone: 401-845-5600 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM)
  • Mail: Newport Department of Utilities, 70 Halsey Street, Newport, RI 02840
  • Survey: The community survey link is posted on the Rate Study and Fees page during active survey windows.

Related Pages

Stay Informed

Email: ratestudy@NewportRI.gov

Phone: 401-845-5600 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM)

Mail: Newport Department of Utilities, 70 Halsey Street, Newport, RI 02840