Louisville council to consider 4.84% refuse-rate increase
Louisville’s proposed rate adjustment would add an estimated $82,866 annually to bills for 5,463 listed accounts. City records also show Republic Services missed its call-abandonment benchmark.
Louisville households could see higher refuse bills beginning Sept. 1 if the City Council approves a proposed 4.84% contract-based rate adjustment. The council is scheduled to consider the measure Sept. 1, while Republic Services is documented as falling short of the city’s call-abandonment standard.
The proposed rate schedule would set monthly refuse charges at $21.66 for a 35-gallon container, $38.36 for 65 gallons and $55.06 for 95 gallons. The $4.96 electric-vehicle premium, $2.35 administrative fee and $0.70 hazardous-materials fee would remain unchanged, Resolution No. 79, Series 2026 says. Recycling and compost service would remain available at no additional charge for accounts receiving refuse service, up to a 95-gallon container.
The proposed rates would increase annual charges by $9.24 for 35-gallon service, $18.36 for 65-gallon service and $27.60 for 95-gallon service. The agenda packet lists 2,632, 2,120 and 711 accounts in those categories, respectively. Applying the increases to those counts produces an estimated $82,866.48 in additional annual billing, or about $6,905.54 per month. The packet does not state an aggregate revenue projection, so the calculation assumes the listed account counts and per-account increases remain applicable.
Including the unchanged administrative fee, monthly bills would be $24.01 for 35-gallon service, $40.71 for 65 gallons and $57.41 for 95 gallons. The resolution also corrects the rate schedule so the electric-vehicle premium is charged once per account rather than multiplied by container size; the city says residents were already being billed that way.
The council agenda packet lists 5,463 service accounts and shows Republic’s call abandonment averaged 1.77% during the 2025-26 contract year, compared with a contract standard of less than 1%. The elevated rate was concentrated in December 2025 and June 2026.
The available record does not explain the two spikes or document a corrective-action plan, cure deadline, service credit, penalty or termination threat. It says city staff coordinates with Republic as service issues arise and uses mitigating measures when necessary.
The Sept. 1 meeting is scheduled for a date after this report’s Aug. 28 publication context. The council’s vote and any direction to Republic remain pending.