Fishers council approves move to monthly residential stormwater billing

Fishers City Council on Nov. 17 approved an amendment to the stormwater code of ordinances to allow residential stormwater charges to be billed monthly and consolidated onto the regular utility bill.

City staff told council the change is intended to simplify billing by combining sewer, trash and stormwater into a single monthly charge for residential customers beginning with the first full bill of 2026. Staff cited the current residential stormwater amount as $79.92 (annual) and discussed a monthly equivalent during the meeting; council members stressed the intent was not to raise rates but to smooth payments.

The item was discussed in finance committee and then brought forward on first reading; council voted to suspend the rules and approved the ordinance on first reading. Staff said communications (a public rollout and messaging from the city’s public relations team) will accompany the change so customers understand the timing and that the change is a billing frequency modification rather than a standalone rate increase.

Councilmembers asked for clarity about timing and customer visibility; staff replied that the first bills reflecting the change should appear on bills generated in February 2026 (due in March), tied to the billing cycles for sewer/trash. The council recorded the motion and passed it by voice vote.