Darlington raises water and sewer rates for out-of-town customers

30% increase approved for residential and commercial users outside city limits

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Darlington City Council has voted to increase water and sewer rates by 30% for residential and commercial customers located outside the city limits. The rate hike will impact customers in the surrounding areas who rely on Darlington's utilities but do not live within the city boundaries.

Why it matters

This decision reflects Darlington's efforts to generate more revenue from its utilities to fund infrastructure improvements and maintenance, though it may place a higher financial burden on out-of-town customers who have fewer alternatives for water and sewer services.

The details

The 30% rate increase was approved by the Darlington City Council and will apply to all residential and commercial customers located outside the city limits. The higher rates are intended to help the city cover the costs of providing water and sewer services to these outlying areas, which can be more expensive to maintain than the infrastructure within the city itself.

  • The new water and sewer rates will go into effect on March 1, 2026.

The players

Darlington City Council

The governing body of the City of Darlington, South Carolina that approved the 30% rate increase for out-of-town water and sewer customers.

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What’s next

The city plans to use the additional revenue generated from the rate hike to fund upgrades and maintenance to its water and sewer infrastructure, which has been aging in recent years.

The takeaway

This rate increase highlights the financial challenges faced by municipalities in providing utilities to customers outside their borders, as they must balance the need for infrastructure investment with the burden placed on out-of-town users who have limited options for service.