Sewer Rates Face Rapid Rise Starting in 2013
After decades of deferred maintenance on sanitary and storm sewer systems, rebuilding to meet current needs will cost resident ratepayers significantly more each year for the next five years and probably beyond.
It is time to pay the piper. The sewer piper, that is. After decades of low spending, both sanitary and storm sewer rates will increase considerably next year and would continue to rise over the four years thereafter, under a recommendation passed unanimously Tuesday night by the Budget and Finance Committee. The sewer rate increase will go to the full Common Council next Tuesday for consideration. If the measure passes, in 2013, the city's "local charge" for sanitary sewer service will rise by 20 percent, according to City Finance Director John Ruggini's recommendation — "The impact of the capital improvement budget on rates," Ruggini said. But because the resident ratepayer's sanitary sewer bill is split about 50 percent between the city…
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Lex Parsimoniae
10:51 am on Friday, December 14, 2012
Time for bigger, more efficient main sewers on our side...to overflow the deep tunnel even quicker. Just happy I live on the high ground. more ›