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Photo by John McCarten\/NYC Council Media Unit<\/p>\n
Council Member Phil Wong<\/a> is urging District 30 residents and New Yorkers to join him in opposing the proposed 6% water rate increase for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27), calling the hike \u201cunfair, tone deaf, and impossible to justify while many homeowners continue dealing with chronic flooding, aging infrastructure, and unresolved sewer capacity issues,\u201d according to a press release.<\/p>\n As reported by QNS earlier this year<\/a>, Wong first sounded the alarm in March, criticizing the city\u2019s longstanding practice of using water bill revenue to fund expenses outside the water and sewer system. Now, with another rate increase proposed, he says \u201cratepayers are once again being asked to shoulder the burden of a government that refuses to live within its means.\u201d<\/p>\n On Monday, May 11, the Department of Environmental Protection<\/a> (DEP) introduced the rate hike, claiming it would \u201coffset increased operating costs and make critical infrastructure investments.\u201d<\/a> Moreover, the DEP stated that its new partnership with the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation will assist customers with managing their water and sewer bills through a $25 million investment to \u201csupport and expand the Board\u2019s key affordability programs.\u201d Still, the affordability question remains, as the hike would increase a single-family\u2019s bill by $6 per month.<\/p>\n In response to the matter, Wong also pointed to recurring flooding in Queens neighborhoods, including areas of District 30 that continue to experience sewer backups and stormwater issues during heavy rain events. He then argued that residents have not seen the level of sustained infrastructure investment needed to address these persistent issues.<\/p>\n \u201cMy constituents should not be forced to pay higher water bills while they are still cleaning out flooded basements and waiting for meaningful sewer upgrades,\u201d said Wong in a statement. \u201cYou and I have to balance our budgets at home. City Hall should do the same instead of using water bills to patch holes in the budget. Homeowners are paying more and more every year, yet many are still dealing with flooded basements, inadequate sewer capacity, and infrastructure that has not kept pace with the needs of our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n Wong is encouraging constituents to make their voices heard by submitting testimony to the New York City Water Board<\/a> and participating in the public comment process.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a backdoor tax on homeowners and small businesses,\u201d\u00a0Wong added.\u00a0\u201cGovernment cannot live within its means, so it keeps coming back to ratepayers for more. If City Hall wants to raise your water bill again, they should hear directly from the people paying it. I encourage residents to submit testimony, make their voices heard, and tell the Water Board that enough is enough.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/unnamed-4-2.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of the District Office of Council Member Phil Wong
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Photo courtesy of the District Office of Council Member Phil Wong<\/p>\n