December 16, 2004

Council to accelerate rise of sanitary sewer rates

(Read related Village budget story)

By Robert Mihalek

Village Council took action last week to accelerate the timing of a planned increase in sewer rates.

At its meeting on Dec. 6, Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that moves up by seven months the next increase in sewer rates. The ordinance does not include a new rate. Council will hold a second reading and public hearing on the ordinance at its next meeting, Dec. 20.

Assuming Council approves the ordinance, the Village will implement the new rate in January, instead of August 2005.

The new rate would go into effect on Jan. 1 and appear on Yellow Springers’ utility bills in February, Village Manager Rob Hillard said.

Under the original rate schedule, rates for sanitary sewer service were adjusted every August. In 2001, Council approved the rate structure, which included annual increases for five years. The accelerated increase is the last of the planned raises in the rates.

The ordinance increases a consumption charge for every 1,000 gallons used by 36 cents, to $5.70, and increases by 60 cents a monthly readiness for service charge, to $11.80.

The readiness for service charge includes the cost it takes to run the sanitary sewer utility, including billing services, administrative support and Village personnel, plus a charge for the first 1,000 gallons used.

Speeding up the rate increase is expected to generate $30,000 next year, Hillard reported. The Village will use the funds to repair or replace equipment at the wastewater treatment plant, Hillard said.

Council member George Pitstick said of the rate increase, “We have work that needs to be done and we need money to do the work.”

Hillard first suggested that the Village accelerate the implementation of the sewer rate at a Council budget workshop on Nov. 11.

Though the Village designed the sewer rates to provide funds for capital improvements in the sewer system, including the treatment plant, the rate is not generating the kind of income the Village had planned for.

Troy Slone, who manages the treatment plant, told Council during the Nov. 11 workshop that the amount of wastewater the Village pumps has declined by 10 million gallons over the last three years, from 163 million gallons in 2002 to 153 million this year.