City responds to rising water rates
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RONAN — A sharp increase in water rates may add an additional burden to struggling Ronan families this fall.
On Monday, a crowd of disgruntled Ronan residents gathered at the Ronan Middle School for a public hearing, hoping to catch city council’s explanation of rising water rates, which are set to double on October 1.
The higher rates will finance an upgrade which Ronan Mayor Kim Aipperspach describes as a “typical government overkill predicament.”
“As a recap,” Ronan Council Member Ann Smith Bower noted after Aipperspach. “We are doing this because we are required to.”
“This is the best thing we could come up with as far as our cost for you,” she added.
In order to meet Department of Environmental Quality standards in regards to fire flow, the council must embark on a $4.9 million project.
Stimulus money will fund 47.5 percent of the project. These grants will be supplied by USDA Rural Development, the Treasury State Endowment Program and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
The other 52.5 percent of the project will be funded by a $2.5 million loan from the USDA Rural Utilities Services. The multi-million dollar loan will take the city 40 years to pay off with an interest of 2.5 percent.
Under the new rates a three-fourths inch hook-up will have a base minimum of 3,000 at a cost of $26.84. Any overage will cost the user $1.86 per 1,000 gallons.
The previous rates gave the user 6,000 gallons at a rate of $13.60.
Any overage past the 6,000 gallons cost the user $2.55 per 1000 gallon.
The sewer and storm water utility will remain the same.
Ronan Utility Bill Clerk Lorraine Bourdon estimated that about one third of Ronan’s residents use less than 3,000 gallons of water per month.
Many residents asked if the council could establish an elderly rate for senior citizens living on limited funds.
“There is one town that tried to put in a senior citizen rate,” Montana Rural Water Systems, Inc. Circuit Rider Harry Whalen said. “But you can’t because it’s discrimination.”
Mayor Kim Aipperspach estimated that Ronan has roughly 50-75 commercial users and 850 residential users.
“As a city, it’s all of our responsibilities,” Aipperspach said.
