Expect water rates to increase soon

Come July, residents most likely will see a hike in their water bills.

The city is proposing an amendment to its code of ordinances that, if approved by the city council on Tuesday, will raise customer water/wastewater fees, effective June 1.

The proposal includes:

• Increasing the water/irrigation rate from $1.53 to $1.71 per 1,000 gallons of water used.

• Increasing the water/irrigation rate over 8,000 gallons per month from $2.55 to $2.86 per 1,000 gallons of water used.

• Increasing the wastewater, sewer rate from $6.10 to $6.47 per 1,000 gallons of water used.

• Establishing the ability to annually adjust rates based on the percentage change in Urban Consumer Price Index, but not to exceed 3 percent and not below zero percent.

• Establishing a 15 percent drought surcharge on the rate for water usage in excess of 8,000 gallons per month during a Phase III extreme water shortage set by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

"This is an effort we hope will encourage our residents to conserve water," said Diane Reichard, the city's finance director.

The surcharge, she said, would be put in place on the first day of the first month following the declaration of an extreme shortage. It would remain in effect until the first day of the month following the termination of the alert.

In addition, the proposal calls for a 10 percent increase in the minimum charge for commercial accounts.

"It will coincide with the residential section that was previously amended," Reichard said. "The residential connection charges were also updated to include the actual cost of labor and materials."

The suggested increase in the wastewater rate is to cover the cost for sewer service where public potable water in not supplied.

The proposal is based on suggestions from a study conducted by TBE Engineering, a consulting firm hired by the city.

Reichard said city staff recommends that council approve the amendment.