MUSKOGEE, Okla. — The city of Muskogee just announced an increase in water bills starting October 1.
“I just felt like each month it kept going up and going up,” said LaCee Vaughn.
LaCee Vaughn has lived in her Muskogee home for 9 years. When she moved in, she says the water bill was about $56 a month. In August 2025, she says she paid $145.
“It just has been skyrocketing,” said Vaughn.
Now, the bill is going up even more.
WATCH: Muskogee rates to rise by nearly $10 starting next month
“Again? Again? It’s just how are we supposed to continue to pay our other bills and things,” said Vaughn.”
She’s one of the roughly 36,000 people in Muskogee who will see rate hikes on their water bill. The average Muskogee family, using 6,000 gallons a month, will on average pay about $9.88 more starting October 1.
City Manager Kendal Francis says the increase mainly comes from the base sewer rate rising by $7.75.
“That is absolutely the largest increase,” said Kendal Francis.
He says the money will pay for a new $80 million wastewater treatment plant in town to replace their current one.
“It’s a trickling filter type of treatment, which is an antiquated process which we were the only one in Oklahoma that still uses that,” said Francis.
The project manager presented the plans in front of city council in October 2025.
The city manager says the current facility isn’t in compliance.
“It’s to give us the technology to come into compliance with stricter regulations that are down from the EPA as far as the treatment of wastewater,” said Francis.
The base sewer rate will increase again by $7.75 in October 2026 to finish the city’s 3-year plan.
The city says the adjustments will also help them:
-Keep up with rising costs
-Maintain and improve critical infrastructure
For neighbors, they just want to know when they’ll see some relief.
“It’s kind of getting into the electric bill range, and water bills used to be really cheap,” said Vaughn. “With everything going up, it’s just getting harder and harder to maintain.”
There is income-based help available for disabled and elderly residents. Click here for assistance.
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