MONROE - Residents will see an 18-percent increase in their sewer bill starting this fall, most of it stemming from costs to upgrade the wastewater facility.
The new rate goes into effect with the third-quarter billing cycle and will add about $17.60 to the average household bill.
Based on an estimated use of 246 gallon (12,000 cubic feet) per day, the average household can expect to pay about $462 per year for sewer, up from $392 currently, according to the Monroe Wastewater Treatment Utility 2011-2012 audit.
About $80 of the bill is a fixed quarterly charge, about $20 per quarter, up $3 from 2011. The remainder is usage charged at $31.97 per 1,000 cubic foot of water.
George Thompson, director of water and wastewater utilities, said rates have not increased since February 2009, and without the coming debt service for upgrades to the wastewater facility, a rate increase probably would not have been needed.
"In this audit, we did use actual numbers for debt service obligations, including the upgrade costs," he added.
The 2013 upgrade project adds more than $970,000 annually to the current debt costs of about $260,000, bringing the total up to $1.2 million for principal and interest payments. The current debt comes from sewer projects in 1992, 1997 and 2002.
The upgrade costs assumes the city will receive loan funds through the Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP), one of the state's subsidized loan programs included in the Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF).
The Wastewater Treatment Utility 2013 total budget comes to $3.5 million, with $2 million for operations and maintenance, $1.2 million for debt and $250,000 for equipment replacement funds.
The City's Board of Public Work recommended the council approve the annual audit and establish the new sewer rates for 2012-13. The council is scheduled to vote on the measure tonight, March 6.
The new rate goes into effect with the third-quarter billing cycle and will add about $17.60 to the average household bill.
Based on an estimated use of 246 gallon (12,000 cubic feet) per day, the average household can expect to pay about $462 per year for sewer, up from $392 currently, according to the Monroe Wastewater Treatment Utility 2011-2012 audit.
About $80 of the bill is a fixed quarterly charge, about $20 per quarter, up $3 from 2011. The remainder is usage charged at $31.97 per 1,000 cubic foot of water.
George Thompson, director of water and wastewater utilities, said rates have not increased since February 2009, and without the coming debt service for upgrades to the wastewater facility, a rate increase probably would not have been needed.
"In this audit, we did use actual numbers for debt service obligations, including the upgrade costs," he added.
The 2013 upgrade project adds more than $970,000 annually to the current debt costs of about $260,000, bringing the total up to $1.2 million for principal and interest payments. The current debt comes from sewer projects in 1992, 1997 and 2002.
The upgrade costs assumes the city will receive loan funds through the Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP), one of the state's subsidized loan programs included in the Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF).
The Wastewater Treatment Utility 2013 total budget comes to $3.5 million, with $2 million for operations and maintenance, $1.2 million for debt and $250,000 for equipment replacement funds.
The City's Board of Public Work recommended the council approve the annual audit and establish the new sewer rates for 2012-13. The council is scheduled to vote on the measure tonight, March 6.