St. Ignatius Council proposes water, sewer rate increases
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ST. IGNATIUS — St. Ignatius Town Council on Oct. 8 approved a proposed a 20 percent increase in water rates and 10 percent increase in sewer rates.
If it successfully makes it way through the public hearing process, the rate increase will be the first proposed by the town council in five years.
The town council approved increasing the water rate to $24 per month from the current $20 monthly charge for 7,000 gallons accrued for six months. The city will also increase the charge for using more than 42,000 gallons of water in a six-month period to $3 per 1,000 gallons, from the current rate of $2 per 1,000 gallons.
Under the plan, sewage rates will increase to $44 per month from $40 per month for all but six entities in town. The Community Center, Sunset Motel, Rod’s Harvest Foods, St. Ignatius Schools, SUDS, and Cenex all pay a separate rate based on the volume of waste generated.
City Clerk LeeAnn Gottfried explained that the need for the rate increase was prompted by increasing costs of operating the town’s water and sewage systems. The town has had to inject chlorine into its water system since 2010 because of state regulations. The chlorine itself cost $1,619 in 2013, but the chemical also has secondary costs associated with its use because it eats away at water delivery infrastructure that must be replaced more frequently.
Maintenance requirements for the town’s water and sewage systems have also increased in recent years, with electricity costs more than doubling since 2008.
“It’s gotten to be alot more of a costly venture,” City Councilman Ray Frey said. “Before we didn’t have any pumps and now we have five.”
Gottfried said the council did not propose a perpetual yearly rate hike that customers could absorb over time, because the completion of the town’s water project this winter might require an additional cost-absorption measure next year.
“We don’t have a firm handle yet on some of our costs, and in six months we will know a little bit more,” Gottfried said. “The water project will be done and we will know more about if this (rate) increase will cover it, or if we need a little bit more.”
The council plans to hold hearings about the proposed rate increase in November and December, with the rates taking effect in January.
