Seneca Approves $48.3M Utilities Budget

Eight days into the new government year, Seneca City Council voted 7 to 2 to approve a $48.3 million Light and Water budget through June 30, 2027, discarding a controversial $15 flat water fee in favor of a cost-of-service formula. Under the new plan, customers will see rate increases of 4.5% for power and 10% each for water and sewer.

City Administrator Scott Moulder explained the resulting shifts in projected revenue.

While the power increase matches last year’s mid-year jump—prompting questions about the frequency of future hikes as supplier Santee Cooper readies a 3.7% increase this February—Mayor Ronnie O’Kelley and Councilman Dan Alexander cast the two dissenting votes, with Mayor O’Kelley firmly stating: