"Some of the cheapest rates in the state." That is how the Mississippi Rural Water Association described Biloxi's water and sewer charges in an August 2026 rate study, as reported by Biloxi Daily. In the next line the association named the cost of keeping them that low: "operating in the negative and not being able to address infrastructure improvements and required operational maintenance."
If you are comparing Biloxi with Gulfport, D'Iberville or Ocean Springs, that study now matters to your monthly budget. An ordinance in front of the Biloxi City Council would replace the city's tiered water and sewer rates with one flat structure for every customer. Bills would go up for everyone. The share of the increase is not even, though. Under the flat rate, low- and mid-use households see their bills rise by a much bigger share than the heaviest users do.
The flat rate hits small and mid-size bills hardest
Biloxi currently charges a minimum for the first 3,000 gallons and then a per-1,000-gallon rate that climbs as usage climbs. Water runs $1.54 to $2.13 per 1,000 gallons and sewer $3.26 to $4.35. The proposal lowers the minimum allowance to 2,000 gallons and sets one rate above it: $2.75 per 1,000 for water and $5.50 for sewer.
Biloxi Daily worked out the monthly city water and sewer charge from the ordinance's rate tables at three usage levels. The percentage column below is our own arithmetic from those figures.
| Monthly use | City charge now | Proposed | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 gallons | $14.97 | $24.75 | about 65% |
| 5,000 gallons | $24.57 | $41.25 | about 68% |
| 8,000 gallons | $42.36 | $66.00 | about 56% |
Look at the gap between the top and bottom rows. The 8,000-gallon household pays the most in dollars but sees the smallest percentage increase. The 3,000-gallon household starts with the lowest bill and sees it rise by nearly two-thirds, and the 5,000-gallon household sees the steepest increase of the three. That outcome is built into the design. The rate study found the existing tiered structure "put more of a burden on high usage customers," and a flat rate shifts some of that burden back onto everyone else.
For a buyer, this changes which part of the comparison you can lean on. Low utility costs in Biloxi have been worth the most to small and mid-size bills. Under the proposal, those are the bills where the advantage shrinks fastest.
Why the city says the money has to come from somewhere
The rate study came from the Mississippi Rural Water Association, which did it for free and sent its findings in a letter to Public Works Director Christy LeBatard. The letter is attached to the ordinance as Exhibit A. It found that the city's projected water and sewer revenue would fall short of projected expenses.
The association also noted that Biloxi's sewer charges already run about 200% of the water charges, and it proposed keeping that ratio. That explains why the sewer side of the proposal, at $11.00 minimum and $5.50 per 1,000 gallons, is exactly double the water side, at $5.50 and $2.75. The association added that even at the new rates, "the city will still have some of the cheapest rates in the state."
LeBatard recommends the association's rates "to provide sufficient revenue to stabilize the Water and Sewer Fund," according to the ordinance. Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich introduced the measure, and the city's agenda fact sheet shows staff recommending approval.
The proposal also drops something from the current schedule. The rates adopted earlier had set small increases each Oct. 1 through September 2027. The new schedule has no built-in yearly steps.
The ordinance also cites state law: Mississippi Senate Bill 2526 from the 2026 Regular Session. The bill requires covered providers to get a rate study every five years and to put recommended increases in place within a year. Its definitions describe a "provider" as a retail water provider "which is a rural water company." How the bill applies to a city system like Biloxi's is a question for the city, not something this post can settle.
Two smaller line items change in the same season
The city charge is only part of a Biloxi utility bill. Every bill also carries a separate Harrison County Utility Authority charge of $3.80 per 1,000 gallons, according to Biloxi Daily. Since Feb. 1, 2021, the city has reduced that charge by 50 cents per 1,000 gallons on the first 25,000 gallons each month. The ordinance deletes the reduction, which adds $2.50 a month at 5,000 gallons.
Garbage is the third piece. A separate ordinance would raise the monthly residential garbage fee from $25.50 to $27.40, with a proposed start date of Nov. 1. Biloxi reimburses the Harrison County Utility Authority for collection, and the authority contracts with Waste Management and Pelican Waste. The authority's charge is rising from $25.37 to $27.17 under a contractual inflation adjustment, and the remaining 23 cents covers city administrative costs. That ordinance was listed for first reading at the Oct. 27 council meeting.
Here is our own estimate for a 5,000-gallon household, adding up the published figures. The city water and sewer charge rises by $16.68, the county reduction goes away for another $2.50, and garbage adds $1.90. That comes to about $21 more a month, or roughly $250 a year, if both ordinances pass as written.
Ocean Springs moved first
Biloxi is not the only Coast city raising utility rates this fall. On Oct. 22, 2026, WLOX reported that Ocean Springs leaders had unanimously approved higher water, sewer and garbage rates as part of a consent agenda, without discussion.
| Residential charge | Biloxi, as proposed | Ocean Springs, as approved |
|---|---|---|
| Water minimum | $5.50, up to 2,000 gallons | $14.99, first 2,999 gallons |
| Water above minimum | $2.75 per 1,000 gallons | $3.28 per 1,000 gallons |
| Sewer minimum | $11.00, up to 2,000 gallons | $14.99, first 999 gallons |
| Sewer above minimum | $5.50 per 1,000 gallons | $5.77 per 1,000 gallons |
| Monthly garbage | $27.40 | $34.50 |
Even with its proposed increases, Biloxi's minimums stay well below Ocean Springs'. The two cities build their bills differently, though. The minimum allowances cover different gallon amounts, and Biloxi bills also carry the separate county authority charge described above. To compare two homes in two cities fairly, you need each city's full bill at the same usage, including every line item.
What to ask before you write an offer
Biloxi Daily points out that every monthly bill shows the gallons used. When you are serious about a specific Biloxi home, asking the seller for a few recent utility bills gives you a real usage figure to plug into the table above, so you are not guessing.
Timing matters too. The council took up the water and sewer ordinance on first reading Sept. 22, tabled it Oct. 6, and tabled it again Oct. 20 "subject to call," according to the city's record of the Oct. 20 agenda. As of Oct. 24, no vote had been taken. A rates workshop was scheduled right after the 1:30 p.m. council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27, so check the city's agendas for any action since then. If the ordinance passes unanimously, it takes effect on passage. If the vote is not unanimous, it takes effect once signed and certified "as is otherwise provided by law."
Quick questions
Does every Biloxi household pay the same increase? No. Using Biloxi Daily's calculations, the city charge rises about 65% at 3,000 gallons and about 68% at 5,000 gallons, compared with about 56% at 8,000 gallons.
Where do I take questions about a specific bill? Biloxi Daily lists the city Water Department office at 228-435-6240.
Is the garbage increase separate from the water vote? Yes. It is its own ordinance, tied to the county authority's collection contract, with a proposed Nov. 1 start date.
This post is general information about pending local rates, not legal or financial advice. Please confirm the figures for your own household with the city and the right professionals.
If you are weighing a Biloxi home against one elsewhere on the Coast, Team CeejaySells can help you line up the full monthly picture, utilities included. Get Your Free Home Valuation, and let's talk through what your next home will really cost to own.
