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Tabla de Contenido/ Table of Contents
- 1 đź’§Hialeah Water Scam Timeline: 10 Years of Increases – Debts – Political Lies. Bryan Calvo, during his time as a councilman, denounced this from the inside
- 1.1 From 2014 to the present:
- 1.1.1 2014: Introduction of the Franchise Fee
- 1.1.2 2015: Water Projects and First Resolutions
- 1.1.3 2019: Start of Gradual Franchise Fee Reduction
- 1.1.4 2021: Significant Increases During the Pandemic
- 1.1.5 2022: More Increases and Audits
- 1.1.6 2023: Calvo vs. Bovo Conflict – Accusations of Obstruction
- 1.1.7 2024: $18M Debt and Fee Suspension Proposal
- 1.1.8 2025: New Mayor and Absorption of Increases
- 1.2 đź“Š CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF RATE HIKES AND KEY EVENTS
- 1.1 From 2014 to the present:
đź’§Hialeah Water Scam Timeline: 10 Years of Increases – Debts – Political Lies. Bryan Calvo, during his time as a councilman, denounced this from the inside
For over a decade, the residents of Hialeah have borne the burden of constant increases in their water bills, justified by empty promises, accounting manipulations, and the eternal “blame the county” excuse.
But official documents, ordinances, and the public statements of mayors and council members themselves reveal a whitewashed truth: the hikes have been systematic, while the city went into debt and used the water utility as a political piggy bank.
From 2014 to the present:
2014: Introduction of the Franchise Fee
- Under Mayor Carlos Hernández, a 10% “franchise fee” on water and sewer bills is introduced to generate municipal revenue.
- This contributes to initial increases in bills. Critics (in later news reports) call it a “hidden fee” without sufficient public justification.
- Residents have accused a lack of transparency in how the money is used (e.g., not invested in infrastructure).
- Sources: Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article291707825.html ;
- Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article290987635.html
2015: Water Projects and First Resolutions
- Resolution 2015-93: The council approves updates to the capital plan for water, reuse, and conservation projects.
- Minor increases begin to accumulate due to Miami-Dade costs. Sources indicate commissioners promise “improvements,” but infrastructure remains deficient.
- Sources: Official City of Hialeah document: https://www.hialeahfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1603/Resolution-2015-093-PDF ;
- Hialeah ordinances site: https://www.hialeahfl.gov/180/Ordinances.
2019: Start of Gradual Franchise Fee Reduction
- The fee is gradually reduced from 10% (to 7.5% in 2019, lowering annually).
- However, bills continue to rise due to “pass-through” of county increases (e.g., Miami-Dade raises wholesale rates by $0.10 per thousand gallons in 2019).
- Residents report “sky-high” bills with no real relief.
- Sources: Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article291707825.html ;
- Related Ordinance: https://www.hialeahfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9258/Ordinance-2018-094-PDF ;
- Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article290987635.html .
2021: Significant Increases During the Pandemic
- Ordinance 2021-104: Approves increases of 4.9% in water and 2.8% in sewer to maintain operating ratios (effective Oct. 2021-Sept. 2022).
- Fitch Ratings confirms financial stability but highlights dependence on rate hikes to cover costs.
- Accusations: Commissioners and the mayor (then Julio Robaina until 2021) promise “stability,” but bills rise ~17% in 7 years due to accumulated fees.
- Sources: WSVN News: https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/hialeah-mayor-takes-steps-to-protect-residents-from-rising-water-rates-demands-audit-of-miami-dade-water-and-sewer/ ;
- Ordinance: https://www.hialeahfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15042/Ordinance-2021-128-PDF ;
- Auditor General: https://flauditor.gov/pages/mun_efile%2520rpts/2021%2520hialeah.pdf .
2022: More Increases and Audits
- Florida Auditor General’s Report: City attributes hikes to operational costs in the water system (increases in purchases from Miami-Dade).
- Bryan Calvo joins the council (elected in 2021 as an opposition voice). Begins investigating irregularities in public utilities, including 911 and potentially water.
- Sources: WSVN News: https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/hialeah-mayor-takes-steps-to-protect-residents-from-rising-water-rates-demands-audit-of-miami-dade-water-and-sewer/ ;
- Hialeah Compliance Package: http://www.hialeahfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15498/Hialeah-Compliance-Package-93021-PDF ; Auditor General report: https://flauditor.gov/pages/mun_efile%2520rpts/2021%2520hialeah.pdf .
2023: Calvo vs. Bovo Conflict – Accusations of Obstruction
- Esteban Bovo assumes office as mayor (elected 2021).
- Bryan Calvo sues Bovo for “abuse of power” (legal complaint Oct. 2023): Accuses Bovo of ordering officials to block access to internal records, impeding investigations into overcharges for services like 911. Calvo implies this hides problems with billing and rates (including water).
- Resolution 2023-157: Council (allied with Bovo) moves to recover legal costs from Calvo, calling him “frivolous.” Calvo loses the case in Jan. 2024.
- Calvo positions himself as the only one “fighting” to solve problems, proposing audits and bill relief. Sources indicate Bovo “stopped” Calvo’s initiatives by limiting access to info.
- Increases continue: Bills rise due to accumulated debt.
- Sources: Official Resolution: https://www.hialeahfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18382/Resolution-No-2023-157-PDF ;
- WLRN: https://www.wlrn.org/law-justice/2024-01-25/hialeah-bovo-calvo-abuse-power-lawsuit ;
- CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/hialeah-councilman-bryan-calvo-sues-mayor-esteban-bovo-over-911-call-center-records/ ;
- Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article280979543.html
2024: $18M Debt and Fee Suspension Proposal
- Jul. 2024: City faces an $18M debt with Miami-Dade; increases of 7.9% in water and 6.8% in sewer.
- Aug. 2024: Bovo proposes suspending the franchise fee (now at 5%) to provide bill relief, representing ~$3.8M in the budget. Council approves unanimously (Aug. 30), but residents criticize it as a “temporary band-aid” and accuse hypocrisy (fees rose under previous administrations).
- Bryan Calvo resigns in May 2024 (less than 3 years in office), citing frustrations. In council minutes (Oct. 2024), Calvo appears in discussions about water, proposing solutions like electronic payments to save $5 on bills.
- Instagram reel (Aug. 2024): Discussion on “water challenges” mentions examples from Calvo to reduce costs, positioning him as a defender.
- Sources: Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article290987635.html ;
- AOL: https://www.aol.com/hialeah-suspends-water-bill-fee-171613149.html ;
- YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec6_y7EghUQ .
2025: New Mayor and Absorption of Increases
- Mar. 2025: Bovo resigns for a job in DC; Jacqueline GarcĂa-Roves assumes office.
- Aug. 2025: GarcĂa-Roves announces absorbing $11M in county increases, preventing 15-17% hikes in bills (starting Oct. 2025). Demands an audit of Miami-Dade Water and Sewer.
- Critics (including former councilman Calvo in public comments) allege Bovo and allies lied about “cost control” while debt grew.
- Projections: Bills could rise 20% without intervention; residents demand transparency.
- Sources: WSVN News: https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/hialeah-mayor-takes-steps-to-protect-residents-from-rising-water-rates-demands-audit-of-miami-dade-water-and-sewer/ ;
- CiberCuba: https://en.cibercuba.com/noticias/2025-08-19-u1-e129488-s27061-nid309241-hialeah-prepara-subidon-precio-agua ;
- Cuba en Miami: https://www.cubaenmiami.com/en/hialeah-preve-un-incremento-en-el-precio-del-agua-potable-que-impactara-a-mas-de-200-mil-habitantes/ ;
- WLRN: https://www.wlrn.org/news-in-brief/2025-04-28/first-woman-mayor-takes-office-in-hialeah .
A 10% franchise fee was introduced on every water bill, disguised as “necessary for the budget.”
- Rates were increased every year, even during the pandemic.
- Over $18 million in debt was accumulated with Miami-Dade County.
- Meanwhile, the system remains deficient, service isn’t improving, and politicians play the blame game.
And most seriously:
👉 Bryan Calvo, during his time as a councilman, denounced this from the inside. He called for audits, presented proposals to reduce the system’s spending, and was the only one who stood up to Esteban Bovo, who, instead of solving the problem, blocked access to public information and protected the status quo.
Today, Calvo is no longer in government, but his fight continues. Meanwhile, the same people who remained silent, obeyed, and raised the rates are still in power… and the water bills keep rising.
đź“Š CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF RATE HIKES AND KEY EVENTS
| Year | Main Event | Increase (%) / Change | Mayor in Office | Observations / Accusations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Introduction of the 10% “Franchise Fee” | +10% | Carlos Hernández | “Hidden” fee to generate revenue. Criticized for lack of transparency. |
| 2015 | Resolution 2015-93: water and conservation projects | +2–3% (estimated) | Carlos Hernández | Improvements were promised but never materialized. |
| 2019 | Partial fee reduction: lowered to 7.5%, but rates go up from Miami-Dade | +4% (average) | Carlos Hernández | The fee was reduced but not the total bills. |
| 2021 | Ordinance 2021-104: 4.9% water increase, 2.8% sewer increase | +4.9% water / +2.8% sewer | Julio Robaina | During the height of the pandemic. “Stability” was promised. |
| 2022 | Bryan Calvo begins denouncing irregularities in water and 911 services | — | Julio Robaina / Bovo | Begins fight against overcharges and calls for audits. |
| 2023 | Bovo takes office and blocks Calvo’s access. Calvo sues for abuse of power. | +5–6% (accumulated) | Esteban Bovo | Allied council moves to recover legal costs from Calvo. He is accused of being “frivolous.” |
| 2024 | $18M debt. Bovo proposes suspending the fee (now at 5%). | +7.9% water / +6.8% sewer | Esteban Bovo | Critics call it a “band-aid solution.” Calvo resigns in May. |
| 2025 | New Mayor GarcĂa-Roves absorbs $11M in increases to avoid a 15–17% hike. | 0% (due to absorption) | Jacqueline GarcĂa-Roves | An audit of the county is demanded. Critics say the debt was generated by Bovo. |
; AOL: https://www.aol.com/hialeah-suspends-water-bill-fee-171613149.html
; Miami Herald : https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/hialeah/article311692864.html
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