Melbourne City Council voted to approve rate increases of 14% for water and wastewater beginning June 1st. It will mean the first rate hike since 2015. Right now, the average Melbourne residential water customer gets a combined water and wastewater bill of about $65 a month with average consumption of 4,000 gallons. The new approved increase will mean Melbourne customers will pay slightly more than the average of other nearby water districts, at about $74 monthly. A big part of the reason is simply the fact that inflation is shrinking the city’s operating margins, leaving fewer dollars on the table after operating costs. That they say, could lead to problems down the road with upgrades and basic maintenance.