The fee took effect July 1, 2026, after City Council approval in June. The city’s implementation guide says the charge depends on the property’s residential structure and number of dwelling units, while qualifying owner-occupants may apply for one $100 discount or, in some multi-family cases, an abatement for vacant units.

Who is covered

The fee applies to residential structures with four units or fewer. It is charged at $200 per dwelling unit: a single-family home is charged $200 annually, a two-family home $400, a three-family home $600 and a four-family home $800.

Condominiums and apartment buildings with five or more units are excluded from the city trash fee. For multi-family homes with vacant units, the city says the vacancy may qualify for an abatement. Its example says a two-unit home with one approved vacant unit would owe $200 rather than $400.

Who may qualify for the $100 discount

One $100 discount may be available to a qualifying owner-occupant who meets at least one of the city’s categories: age 65 or older, veteran status, certain financial hardships or an active composting contract.

The general rules require the applicant to be the property’s title owner or trustee and to live in the home. A landlord who lives elsewhere cannot apply. The city guide says residents must be at least 65 as of July 1, 2026; veteran status must be documented through the Peabody Veterans’ Office; composting households must provide proof of an active contract; and hardship applicants must provide the information requested on the application.

The discount is not automatic. If multiple categories apply to one person—or different categories apply to multiple residents in the same household—the total discount remains $100.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis

Residents seeking a discount or a vacancy abatement must apply. The city says applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and that there is no stated deadline to submit one.

Waiting to apply will not produce a retroactive credit. The city guide says the discount begins on the date the application is approved. The city anticipates that processing may take several weeks and says applicants will be contacted by phone or email after review.

Online applications are available through the city. Residents may also request a paper copy at the Mayor’s Office at City Hall, the Torigian Senior Center or any of Peabody’s three libraries. Completed applications may be returned in person or by mail to the Mayor’s Office at 24 Lowell Street.

What to expect on the utility bill

The trash fee will not be sent as a separate bill. The city guide says it will be included with quarterly water and sewer billing beginning in fall 2026.

The trash charge is separate from the 8% water and sewer rate increase approved for fiscal 2027. Residents should review the utility bill carefully rather than treating the new trash charge and the water and sewer rate change as a single fee.

What residents should do now

Households should first determine whether their property is a covered residential structure of four units or fewer. Eligible owner-occupants should review the city’s qualifications and apply early because approval is required and the $100 discount is not retroactive.

Residents in multi-family properties with vacancies should review the city’s abatement requirements and include the requested vacancy information with their application. All other covered households should check the first quarterly water and sewer bill issued this fall for the trash charge and other approved utility changes.

Sources

• City of Peabody Trash Fee Information Guide
• Peabody To Implement New, $200 Trash Fee After Final City Council Approval
• After six hours, Peabody OKs $200 trash fee

Where to verify Forest Lake’s official 2026 utility charges

There are two main official documents to use:

• Forest Lake Municipal Code, Section 35.04: This is where the city lists the 2026 water and 2026 sewer user rates/charges, including the “Effective January 1, 2026” label.
• City of Forest Lake 2026 Fee Schedule (Ord. 764): This is the fee framework for additional utility-related line items that may apply in certain account situations.

For a regional comparison point on sewer costs, Minnesota’s Legislative Reference Library also hosts a Metropolitan Council community-cost summary that includes a Forest Lake figure.

How Forest Lake’s water bill is built under the 2026 schedule

Forest Lake’s 2026 water schedule is organized around meter-size categories and a quarterly billing structure. In practice, you can think of water rates as combining:

• A quarterly base amount tied to the meter-size category (the municipal-code table shows a “fixed”/minimum-style quarterly bill amount by meter size).
• Per-unit usage charges for water use above the minimum/threshold shown for your meter-size category.

A key detail: the municipal-code table lists seasonally different per-unit water prices for Fall/Winter quarters versus Spring/Summer quarters. That means a household that waters outdoors in warm months may see a different pattern than a household whose water use is steadier year-round.

Finally, the code table also includes a meter fee per quarter, which is part of how the water bill is constructed for the meter-size category in your account.

How Forest Lake’s sewer bill is built under the 2026 schedule

Forest Lake’s 2026 sewer schedule follows a similar quarterly structure, but the terminology is organized around minimum quarterly bills and charges for usage above that minimum. Under the code table, sewer charges are presented as:

• A minimum quarterly bill level based on meter size.
• Per-unit sewer charges for “above minimum” usage.

The municipal-code sewer table notes that the schedule uses units per 1,000 gallons. So when comparing bills or budgeting by meter category, it helps to keep in mind that sewer costs are driven by both the minimum quarterly level and metered volume above that minimum.

What “fee schedule” charges can add (and when they may show up)

The city’s 2026 fee schedule (Ord. 764) is broader than the base rate tables for water and sewer. It can cover utility-related charges that are tied to specific actions or account circumstances—meaning they are not automatically added to every customer’s monthly bill.

For example, the 2026 fee schedule lists utility-related items such as fees for late-payment situations and fees for meter reconnection/disconnection and water turn-on/turn-off scenarios (including emergency situations).

Budgeting takeaway: treat the fee schedule as a “possible extra” document. Your predictable baseline is the water and sewer rate schedule billed on your account; the fee schedule explains additional line items that could apply under certain events.

Renters vs. owners: what to look for on your bill or lease

If you pay your own utilities, look for how your bill reflects the water-and-sewer structure and—importantly—whether your account corresponds to the meter-size category described in the city’s schedule tables.

If you are a renter, utilities may be:

• Direct-billed to your unit (you may still want to confirm your meter-size category), or
• Included in rent or handled through a building-level arrangement (in which case you’d want to ask management how utility pass-throughs work and what they base charges on).

Budgeting for 2026: translate the schedule into realistic expectations

Because the water and sewer rate schedules are labeled “Effective January 1, 2026,” budgeting typically starts with the first quarters of service billed under the new schedule.

• Check your meter-size category before comparing your usage against schedule tables.
• Remember the quarterly structure—your bill is not only “per gallon” or “per unit.” There is also a quarterly baseline/minimum component shown in the municipal code tables.
• For water, account for seasonality if your household’s outdoor use changes across the year.
• Don’t assume fee-schedule items are automatic—only treat them as possible add-ons if your account situation triggers them.

Regional comparison snapshot: Metropolitan Council context for Forest Lake sewer costs

For a Twin Cities metro context point, a Metropolitan Council community wastewater-cost report hosted by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library lists Forest Lake at $55 per month as the community wastewater/sewer utility cost figure, using 2025 community context.

This is a comparison benchmark for the community’s overall sewer utility cost context—not a household-by-household estimate of what your specific water and sewer bill will total.

Sources

• Forest Lake Municipal Code (amended/codelibrary): 2026 water & sewer user rates/charges (Sec. 35.04)
• City of Forest Lake: 2026 Fee Schedule (Ord. 764; updated December 2025)
• Minnesota Legislative Reference Library: Metropolitan Council Community Wastewater Costs (Feb. 2026; 2025 community context)

Local reporting from ABC7 puts the same first increase into a different “starting bill” frame: it reports SFPUC estimates the typical monthly water-and-sewer cost rises from about $171 to about $189 beginning July 1, 2026.

The typical monthly impact: $21–$23 more, depending on the fiscal year

SFPUC’s rate materials describe a combined monthly bill increase for the average San Francisco residential household of $21 in fiscal year 2027 and $23 in fiscal year 2028, with the combined annual impacts estimated at roughly 12.6% and 12.5%.

ABC7’s resident-facing translation of the first increase uses a “current-to-new” estimate for an average single-family home: about $171 per month before the change, rising to about $189 per month coming July 1, 2026.

Because both sets of figures are based on an “average” household, they’re best read as ballparks—not guarantees. Individual bills can differ based on meter size and water use.

What’s actually in the bill: fixed charges plus usage-based charges

SFPUC describes water and sewer bills as having two core elements:

• Fixed charges that cover shared costs relevant to all customers.
• Usage (volumetric) charges based on the amount of water used and the wastewater volume associated with that usage.

This helps explain why bills don’t always track water consumption perfectly: even if your usage drops, some parts of the total bill can remain steady because they’re fixed.

On the usage side, SFPUC notes that residential water rates are billed based on metered water usage with tiers. For wastewater, SFPUC says residential wastewater rates are billed based on an estimated volume of water that returns to the sewer system. For single-family residences, the default is 90% of water usage for that wastewater estimate.

Water vs. sewer: where the percentage increases differ

ABC7 reports that the July 1, 2026 increase includes different percentage changes for water and sewer: water rates rise 7% and sewer rates rise 15%, for an estimated average combined bill increase of 10.5%.

Those percentages provide context, but residents will still want to look at their own bill components—fixed vs. usage-related—when estimating their change.

How to estimate your own bill (instead of relying on averages)

SFPUC provides an online bill calculator to estimate what your bill would look like at current rates versus proposed new rates. To use it, start with what’s on your most recent bill—especially:

• Your meter size (which affects water service charges),
• Your metered water usage for the billing period (which affects tiered water rates), and
• Whether you’re seeing the residential wastewater default used in the calculations for single-family accounts.

The goal is to match SFPUC’s “average household” math to your actual account details.

Who reviews rate changes like this?

SFPUC’s rate process includes public oversight from the Rate Fairness Board. SFPUC says the board has been reviewing and advising on rate matters since 2002, and that it includes appointed members such as local residents and business owners. SFPUC also says these meetings are held throughout the year in-person and remotely by teleconference, with instructions and materials posted through the agenda.

Bottom line for residents

Starting with bills that reflect the new rate schedule effective July 1, 2026, SFPUC expects typical single-family customers to face higher monthly water-and-sewer charges—about $21 in fiscal year 2027 and about $23 in fiscal year 2028. ABC7 frames the first change as roughly $171 to $189 per month for the average single-family home.

If you’re budgeting and the number feels higher than expected, use SFPUC’s calculator and your own account details—because fixed charges and tiered, usage-based billing mean two households can use similar amounts of water and still see different total changes.

Sources

• SFPUC: Water & Sewer Rates for Fiscal Years Ending 2027-28
• ABC7 San Francisco: Major water, sewer rate rise set to take effect July 1