For the first time in two years, New York City has recommended increasing the rate charged to homeowners for receiving water and sewer services. 

The city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) proposed a 2.76% hike in the water rate to the New York City Water Board, which will hold two public hearings next month on the matter. The rate was flat last year as the city grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic.

If approved, the average single-family homeowner in New York City will see their water and sewer bills rise from about $967 to $994 a year, based on an average annual consumption of about 70,000 gallons of water. This translates to a monthly increase of $2.22.