Annexation Area Utility Expansion

Will homeowners be required to connect to the water or sewer system?

Portions of the Ocean Springs Annexation Areas already receive City of Ocean Springs water and/or sewer. When annexed, those residents and property owners will continue to receive City utilities, and they will be charged in-city rates. Other portions of the areas are currently located within the areas certificated for retail water or sewer collection by Utility Services, LLC, or the Jackson County Utility Authority service area. Those residents and property owners will continue to receive utilities provided by Utility Services, LLC or the JCUA. In areas within the Annexation Area in which the City of Ocean Springs will extend new water or sewer collection infrastructure, residents in the annexed areas will be given an opportunity to connect water or sewer service to the system as proposed water main and sewer main construction occurs but are not required to connect.

What is the cost to connect for water service?

Homeowners in the annexed areas will not be charged for a service tap connection to the City’s water system provided they notify the City of their intent to connect prior to design. The City will provide letters of intent for residents to complete and return if they wish to connect to City water. These will be used to indicate service taps for design of the improvements. Upon completion of water installation for the referenced phase, the resident will receive a bill for utility service monthly moving forward. Current residential water rates per the City’s Ordinances for Water and Sewer are:

• Water: $9.74/month up to 3,000 gallons. $2.13/1,000 gallons after the first 3,000 gallons.
• Sewer: $9.74/month up to 1,000 gallons. $3.76/1,000 gallons after the first 1,000 gallons.

What is the cost to connect for sewer service?

Homeowners in the annexed areas will not be charged for a service tap connection to the City’s sewer system provided they notify the City of their intent to connect prior to design. The City will provide letters of intent for residents to complete and return if they wish to connect to City sewer. These will be used to indicate service taps for design of the improvements. The City will provide gravity service or grinder pump service based upon the design. Residents who would receive grinder pump service would be required to coordinate to add the grinder station to their home electricity, however the grinder pump infrastructure would be provided to the homeowner. Upon completion of sewer installation for the referenced phase, the resident will receive a bill for utility service monthly moving forward.

Will construction occur on my property?

Any homeowners requesting to be connected will be provided with a right of entry form. This will grant limited access to the City and their contractor to install service lines that would extend from the main line and connect at the homeowner’s structure. Upon completion of construction and acceptance by the City, the homeowner would retain ownership for service lines within their property.

How long is construction anticipated to take?

The City is proposing for the improvements to occur in a number of phases over the next 5 years, broken into water and sewer improvements in phases around $2M-$3M per year. Construction timelines for the various utilities will vary based on length and difficulty of installation, but it is anticipated that each phase would take no longer than 9 months to complete construction.

If homeowners do not connect to water or sewer service at this time, will they be allowed to connect later?

Homeowners that do not connect during the construction of the water and sewer mains will be allowed to connect to the City’s infrastructure at a later date. If they so choose, however, they will be required to pay the City’s connection fees for water and sewer service at that time. Fees for service connections for water and sewer are based on the service line size required and are outlined in the City’s Ordinances for Water and Sewer, which is available on the City’s website.

Current Water Tap Rates:

Current Sewer Tap Rates: