Residents on the Napoleon city utility system may be suffering from some sticker-shock with the February bills that have gone out. Back in late 2016, Napoleon Council passed water rate increases for the next three years, to help pay for improvements to the water treatment plant. Those increases are 10 to 12% each, based on usage. That is combined with a significant hike in electric rates, due to a 21% increase in transmission costs being passed-on by First Energy Electric. Besides that, Napoleon’s power cost factor is being impacted by higher debt service to pay for the city’s investment in hydro-electric power plants. And Napoleon’s sewer bills have been higher anyway due to the EPA-imposed long term control plan to prevent overflows into the Maumee River from the sanitary sewer system. Sewer bills are normally higher than a water bill, because collecting and treating sewage is more expensive than treating water. Any questions about utility bills can be directed to the billing section of the Napoleon City Finance Department.