Water Rates

HPS Water Header

On September 9, 2025 the City will hold a public hearing at 5:30 PM at City Hall Council Chambers located at 100 Civic Court, Homestead, Florida.  At this public hearing the City will consider two increases to the existing Water & Sewer Rates. The first is an 8.00% City (CITY) increase to the existing rates, and the second is a 2.81% (on water consumption rates) and 13.00% (on sewer consumption rates) increase that represents a pass-through cost to our customers as a result of Miami-Dade County Water And Sewer Department’s rate increases for water purchased by and waste water treated for the utility (MDC PASS-THRU).  In the table below the yellow highlighted (first) column represents the current rates. The green highlighted (second) column represents the new proposed rates with the CITY 8% increase. The blue highlighted (third) column represents the new proposed rates with both the 8% CITY increase and the 2.81% and 13.00% MDC Pass-Thru increases.  The CITY 8% increase is in lieu of the annual CPI (Consumer Price Index) that would have been 4.88%. Based on the Utility's operations, the recommendation is for the 8.00% in lieu of the annual CPI-rate adjustment. Click here to view the rate table.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is my water rate going up?

    • Demand for service has increased and so has the cost of providing that service to customers.  The City's water rates ordinance allows for annual rate increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Water & Sewer Services.  

  • How does Homestead’s rate compare to other cities?

    • Homestead has the lowest rate out of all communities in Broward & Miami-Dade Counties.

  • Who manages Homestead’s water supply?

    • The South Florida Water Management District is tasked with managing and preserving water resources from Orlando to the Florida Keys.  Every public and private water utility, including HPS Water, is required to obtain a Water Use Permit and adhere to the conditions of operations set out by the District, which include daily limits to how much water the utility can use.

  • Where does Homestead’s water come from?

    • Homestead pumps most of its water from the Biscayne Aquifer, a groundwater deposit located just below the surface of the land in South Florida.  When Homestead reaches the daily limit to water it is allowed to pump out of the Aquifer, Homestead then has to buy water from Miami-Dade County to meet customer demand.

  • What is the Biscayne Aquifer?

    • The Biscayne Aquifer is made out of porous rock with tiny cracks and holes. Water then seeps in and fills these tiny cracks and holes.  It is very close to the surface.
    • Because the Biscayne aquifer is highly permeable and is at or near the land surface practically everywhere, it is readily susceptible to ground-water contamination. Because of the high permeability of the aquifer, most contaminants are rapidly flushed or naturally filtered.

  • How reliable is the Biscayne Aquifer as a water supply?

    • The Biscayne aquifer is the most intensely used water source in Florida, supplying water for over 5 million residents in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and the Palm Beach counties. This makes water conservation extremely important.