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Benton may up water, sewer rates |
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Thursday, 18 December 2008 |
Water and sewer rates for Benton Utilities customers may be increasing.
A representative of the Benton Public Utilities Commission plans to make this recommendation at 5:30 p.m. today in a meeting of the City Council’s Finance Committee.
The PUC will not be finalizing its 2009 budget until the commission learns whether the City Council approves companion ordinances calling for sewer and water rate increases, said Alderman Jerry Ponder, who serves as the council’s liaison to the PUC.
According to Ponder, the increase proposed on the base sewer charge is $3.10 more than a customer currently is paying and $2 more on the customer’s monthly base water charge.
“Once you get the amount of water available to you in your base charge, the amount will go up to $2.92 for each 1,000 gallons more,” Ponder said. “That amount now is $2.64.”
“For 2,000 gallons in the minimum water charge now, each 1,000 gallons above that amount would be $2.92 per 1,000,” he explained.
The city has not raised its water rates since 1997, Ponder said.
Two sewer rate increases have occurred since then, he added.
“The sewer rate is computed based on water consumption,” Ponder said. “That’s the only way you can do that.”
Terry McKinney, general manager of Benton Utilities, said the average increase for “an average home, where the usage is 6,000 gallons of water a month, will be $3.10 more for sewer and $3.36 more for water.”
“It’s a little more than $6 monthly for the average user,” he said. “I’m not talking about an older couple living alone who will use less water and the increase will be less.”
McKinney said the increased revenue is needed “for several reasons.”
“For sewer, operating expenses have gone up,” he said. “We have more than 140 lift stations to take care of, and it just costs more to operate. And for water, we’re trying to be proactive and be prepared.
“We have a new state law on fire flow we have to meet,” he said. “We know we’re have to increase water lines and put in more water towers. We need the increase to basically plan for those.”
The PUC hopes to make this kind of preparation through the increased revenue “instead of having to pass a big bond issue.”
“We’d rather save for it and do it in a more economical way,” he added
“We’re not asking for a big increase,” he said.
McKinney said he plans to ask Commissioner Leroy Allen to make “take the lead” in the presentation to the aldermen in tonight’s meeting.
The Finance Committee meeting will be held in the mayor’s conference room at Benton Municipal Complex.
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