Beech Grove residents and business owners could receive a nearly $10 sewer bill hike for the first time in three years as the southside city tries to prevent the sewer utility’s budget from going into the red.
Community members can learn more and provide comments during a public hearing on July 31. Residents can also submit questions online about the local municipality’s utility operator, Beech Grove Sewage Works.
“This is not about raising money for unrelated projects,” said a statement on the city’s website. “It’s about preserving a critical utility, preventing regulatory takeover and avoiding more costly outcomes down the road. The proposed increase is a necessary step to protect public infrastructure and ensure the continued operation of services we all rely on.”
Citizens Energy Group is the wastewater treatment utility company that serves most of Indianapolis and some areas outside of the city-county boundary. Communities can choose how residents pay their service fee. For example, Indianapolis residents pay for their wastewater bills based on household usage, but Beech Grove selected an option that allows all residents to pay the same $37 flat fee.
According to the city’s website, the local municipality has held price bumps at bay by using the sewer fund’s reserves to cover costs related to increased operating demand and Citizens Energy, but the city said it can no longer carry the burden alone.
Now a proposal from the Beech Grove City Council would raise monthly bills from $37 to $46.75 for wastewater and stormwater services in order to aid the facility’s long-term financial stability.
City leaders say the nearly $10 increase is still cheaper for residents.
“Using May 2025 data as an example, we found that every single residential customer would have paid more if billed by usage — even if the flat monthly rate were raised to $46.75,” according to the Beech Grove website.
Without the rate hike, the city said it would be unable to adequately address emergencies and pay the utility’s employees.
“Right now, if a major sewer collapse occurred, we would not be able to borrow money to fix it — because the fund doesn’t have the financial stability needed to issue bonds or take out loans,” according to the city’s website.
If you go
The discussion about potential increases to wastewater utility rates in Beech Grove is set for 6 p.m. July 31 at Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Avenue.
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Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
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