Palm Coast Utility Rates Rise October 1: A Renter’s Budget Guide

Palm Coast utility customers will pay new water, wastewater, stormwater and solid-waste rates beginning October 1, 2026. Water and wastewater charges rise 5.1%, stormwater increases by $2.17 per residential unit, and residential garbage service will cost $34.37 per month, according to the City of Palm Coast’s September 23 announcement.

Renters who hold the city utility account should expect the adjustment to appear on their bills. Renters whose owner pays for some or all of these services may not receive a city bill. Even so, they should check the lease to see whether the added cost can be passed through later.

What changes on October 1

Four services are affected

The city puts water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste on one monthly utility bill. Each service is priced differently. Water and wastewater include base and usage charges. Stormwater is assessed by Equivalent Residential Unit, or ERU, while garbage has a fixed residential charge.

The October adjustments follow schedules and agreements already in place. Water and wastewater follow the approved utility-rate structure. Stormwater follows a schedule developed through the city’s 2023 rate study, and garbage follows the contract with FCC Environmental Services.

What the announcement leaves out

The city published the 5.1% water and wastewater increase without listing every old and new line item in the announcement. Customers will receive the complete updated schedule with the October 1 utility bill. For that reason, the table separates published figures from calculated ones. It does not supply an old garbage rate that was absent from the announcement.

Current rates compared with October rates

The water and wastewater examples use the standard inside-city residential meter and first usage block in the city’s current rate materials. The October figures apply the announced 5.1% increase and are rounded to cents. A household’s actual water and sewer total will depend on metered consumption and any additional services on the account.

Sources for the table are the city’s October 1 rate announcement, its utility-rate page and the adopted water and wastewater rate schedule. The city’s announced 5.1% adjustment supersedes the earlier projected 2026 percentages in that schedule.

For planning: use the table as an estimate, then check the rate notice enclosed with your October bill for the final line-by-line schedule. If your September garbage charge is below $34.37, subtract it from $34.37 to find that part of your personal increase.

Sample monthly impacts for Palm Coast households

A lower-use home at 3,000 gallons

Take a standard inside-city account using 3,000 gallons in a month, with the same volume used to illustrate wastewater charges. Before October, the cited water base, water usage, wastewater base, wastewater usage and one-ERU stormwater fee total approximately $128.37. Under the announced rates, those same items total approximately $135.26. That is an increase of about $6.89 before any change in garbage.

With the new $34.37 residential garbage charge, the illustrated October bill comes to about $169.63. This is an example, not a city quote. A real bill can differ because of consumption, meter size, irrigation, reclaimed water, credits, taxes, account status or whether the property carries more than one ERU.

A household using 5,000 gallons

At 5,000 gallons, the same published components total approximately $155.59 before October and $163.88 afterward, excluding garbage. The estimated monthly increase in water, wastewater and stormwater is $8.29, plus any difference between the household’s current garbage charge and the new $34.37 rate.

Once October garbage is included, the example reaches about $198.25. Fixed charges account for a substantial part of the bill. Lower consumption can reduce the metered portion, though it does not remove the water base, wastewater base, stormwater or garbage charges.

A simple way to budget

Take the water and wastewater portion of a recent normal bill and multiply it by 1.051. Add $2.17 for a one-ERU stormwater account, then compare your current garbage line with $34.37. A month with a pool fill, irrigation problem, move-in adjustment or known leak will not provide a useful baseline.

Which renters will pay the increase directly

When the tenant holds the city account

If the utility account is in your name, the new rates should appear directly on your bill. The city says all four affected services are included on its monthly utility statement. Customers will receive the complete rate schedule with the October 1 bill.

Save the September and October statements, and compare consumption along with the dollar amounts. If the number of billed gallons changed, the rate adjustment may account for only part of a larger bill.

When the owner holds the account

Many leases handle water differently from electricity. An owner may keep the municipal account, particularly when multiple units share service or stormwater and garbage remain associated with the property. A tenant might pay a flat utility amount, reimburse the exact bill, pay through a resident portal or have the cost included in rent.

The city’s rate change does not rewrite a lease on its own. Whether the cost reaches the tenant depends on the agreement. Check which party is responsible for each service, how a shared bill is allocated and whether a clause covers government or vendor rate changes.

When utilities are advertised as included

Read the full lease instead of relying on a listing headline or a conversation during a showing. “Water included” may cover only water and sewer, with garbage, stormwater or an administrative fee handled elsewhere. In other leases, the owner may be responsible for the entire city bill.

Before signing, request a written list of recurring charges. Renters comparing Palm Coast homes should put the expected utility amount beside the advertised rent. That gives both homes the same monthly basis for comparison.

What to verify in your lease and account

Find the utility-responsibility section

Search the lease for “utilities,” “water,” “sewer,” “wastewater,” “trash,” “solid waste,” “stormwater,” “reimbursement” and “additional rent.” Note who must open the account, pay deposits, cover usage and pay late charges.

If you rent one side of a duplex, confirm whether your unit has a separate meter. For a three-bedroom in a Palm Coast duplex, such as this local example, the lease and account setup determine who receives the municipal bill. The number of bedrooms does not.

Check any pass-through formula

A clear reimbursement clause should explain how the charge is calculated. When a bill is divided among units, ask whether the allocation uses actual submeter readings, occupancy, square footage, an equal split or a fixed monthly amount.

Check when documentation must be provided and when payment is due. If the owner sends a new amount after October 1, compare it with the lease formula. Ask for the underlying bill when the agreement allows or requires that documentation.

Confirm the notice process

Review the lease sections on notices, recurring charges and renewal. A mid-lease utility reimbursement under an existing clause differs from a change to the stated rent. If the language is unclear or a new charge appears without explanation, request the calculation in writing before the due date and obtain legal guidance when necessary.

How the increase fits Palm Coast rents

July rent benchmarks for 32164 and 32137

The July 2026 Zillow Observed Rent Index was $1,892.60 in ZIP code 32164 and $1,989.82 in 32137, a difference of $97.22. On its housing-data page, Zillow describes ZORI as a smoothed measure of typical observed market rent. It is weighted to represent the rental housing stock instead of only homes currently advertised.

Those figures are market benchmarks, not quotes for a particular house. They do put the increase in context. The illustrated $6.89 to $8.29 increase for water, wastewater and stormwater is much smaller than monthly rent, though recurring charges still add up for a household paying for electricity, internet, insurance and commuting.

Keep rent and utility trends separate

In July 2026, the supplied Zillow series placed 32164 ZORI 0.5% above July 2025 and 32137 ZORI 1.61% above July 2025. The utility-rate adjustment is separate. It does not mean every landlord will raise rent, and a rent renewal should not be presented as simply the city utility bill.

Readers can find continuing neighborhood and rental-market coverage in the Palm Coast articles. Keep rent, municipal utilities and optional services on separate budget lines so the reason for each change stays clear.

Your pre-October checklist

Before the first adjusted bill arrives

1. Download or photograph the complete September city bill.
2. Write down the billed gallons, water base, wastewater base, stormwater ERUs and garbage charge.
3. Confirm whether the utility account belongs to you or the owner.
4. Read the lease provisions for utilities, reimbursements, pass-through charges and notices.
5. Set aside at least the calculated increase for your normal usage, plus any garbage-rate difference.

Check for leaks as well as rate changes

Check the meter or bill history when the home is quiet and no water should be running. Running toilets, irrigation faults and dripping outdoor fixtures can turn a modest rate increase into a much larger usage charge. Report suspected leaks promptly through the maintenance process in your lease and keep a written record.

The Palm Coast Utility Department has bill payment, account history, issue reporting, water-conservation information and links to current rates. The city lists Customer Service at 386-986-2360 and customer-service@palmcoastgov.com, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What to ask when something does not match

• Which billing period used the new rates?
• Did my consumption change from the prior month?
• How many stormwater ERUs are assigned to this account?
• What was the old garbage charge on this property?
• Is this amount billed by the city, the owner or a third-party billing company?
• Which lease clause controls the reimbursement?

A final budgeting step for renters

When the first adjusted statement arrives, compare the individual line items instead of looking only at the total. If you are planning a move, ask how utilities are handled before applying and include realistic municipal charges in your monthly limit.

For help evaluating the rent and utility responsibilities for a Palm Coast home, contact Oasis Rentals and ask for Tyler at 386-516-5774 or Tyler@386rent.com. Bring the utility clause or proposed lease so the discussion can stay focused on the charges you would be responsible for paying.

Sources

• City of Palm Coast: Utility Bill Rates to Adjust October 1
• City of Palm Coast: Utility Rates
• City of Palm Coast Utility Department
• FlaglerLive: Palm Coast Water, Sewer, Garbage and Stormwater Rates Increase Oct. 1
• City of Palm Coast Water and Sewer Rate Plan
• Zillow Research Housing Data and ZORI Definition
• Zillow ZORI ZIP-Code Dataset