MONROE - The Monroe Board of Public Works agreed Monday to recommend the city adopt a rate increase for wastewater usage that will change the average quarterly bill from $115 to $142 for users within the city.
The expense report, given by public works director Colin Simpson, outlined the need for a "typical" 23-percent increase per homeowner, or about $27 per household.
"An average (bill) will increase by less than that, and some will have significantly more," Simpson said. The total will depend on usage.
Wastewater rates include a base charge of just more than $27.50. From there, the city charges $38 per every 1,000 cubic feet of water discharged from a house or building. The billing reflects how many
gallons have been used and returned to the plant.
"It depends on what flows are coming in (to the plant) so it's not just a straight rate," Simpson said of the upcoming rate increase, explaining to the board why some users will see less of a jump than others.
The last time the city raised rates was in 2012. Before that, Simpson said the hikes were done "somewhat sporadically" and the city had generally tried to put off the increases "for as long as possible in the past." The rate increase is a means to recover money spent on the wastewater plant renovation.
After this upcoming increase, the department hopes to move to an annual or bi-annual schedule of smaller increases.
That could be particularly helpful for local businesses. After being asked by the department to accept the higher rate, industries within the city have shown their support for the increase in exchange for a promise by the city to shift to the proposed annual increase model, Simpson said. The plan to methodically raise rates is also a gradual way to curb inevitable costs. A goal of the department has been to stabilize fees for customers while also meeting its own budget to ensure care for expenses.
"A lot of people forget the cost of operations is also going up," Simpson said. "We're subject to the same cost of living increases like everyone else."
Simpson said the measure will be a better system for anyone who has budgeted for an annual increase, but has instead seen a large hike every few years. Simpson pointed out that for businesses budgeting for a smaller change on an annual basis, having one large rate increase every few years puts a burden on the company. Discussion steered by Simpson at Monday's meeting included how frustration in not only businesses, but also with private citizens, could most likely be mounting due to the sporadic hikes and the challenge they pose to budgeting for utilities.
Still, Simpson said while this rate hike may be higher than anticipated, it is a manageable request.
"This is a fairly benign rate increase," Simpson said.
The expense report, given by public works director Colin Simpson, outlined the need for a "typical" 23-percent increase per homeowner, or about $27 per household.
"An average (bill) will increase by less than that, and some will have significantly more," Simpson said. The total will depend on usage.
Wastewater rates include a base charge of just more than $27.50. From there, the city charges $38 per every 1,000 cubic feet of water discharged from a house or building. The billing reflects how many
gallons have been used and returned to the plant.
"It depends on what flows are coming in (to the plant) so it's not just a straight rate," Simpson said of the upcoming rate increase, explaining to the board why some users will see less of a jump than others.
The last time the city raised rates was in 2012. Before that, Simpson said the hikes were done "somewhat sporadically" and the city had generally tried to put off the increases "for as long as possible in the past." The rate increase is a means to recover money spent on the wastewater plant renovation.
After this upcoming increase, the department hopes to move to an annual or bi-annual schedule of smaller increases.
That could be particularly helpful for local businesses. After being asked by the department to accept the higher rate, industries within the city have shown their support for the increase in exchange for a promise by the city to shift to the proposed annual increase model, Simpson said. The plan to methodically raise rates is also a gradual way to curb inevitable costs. A goal of the department has been to stabilize fees for customers while also meeting its own budget to ensure care for expenses.
"A lot of people forget the cost of operations is also going up," Simpson said. "We're subject to the same cost of living increases like everyone else."
Simpson said the measure will be a better system for anyone who has budgeted for an annual increase, but has instead seen a large hike every few years. Simpson pointed out that for businesses budgeting for a smaller change on an annual basis, having one large rate increase every few years puts a burden on the company. Discussion steered by Simpson at Monday's meeting included how frustration in not only businesses, but also with private citizens, could most likely be mounting due to the sporadic hikes and the challenge they pose to budgeting for utilities.
Still, Simpson said while this rate hike may be higher than anticipated, it is a manageable request.
"This is a fairly benign rate increase," Simpson said.