SCOTT: Winchester raises water rates
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By Carmen Ensinger
Winchester water customers will see an increase on their next water bill after the Winchester City Council passed an increase at its July 2 council meeting, effective immediately.
Winchester Mayor Rex McIntire explained the need for the increase.
“We have to bring in more revenue to pay for our recent water project plus any other future water projects,” he said. “We have a $2.4 million loan we have to make payments on and our current rates will not be able to make those payments.”
McIntire said the city has done it’s best to keep its rates affordable.
“We have, in the last several years, made the effort to keep water rates as affordable as possible, but with all of the rising costs, we must raise the rates in order to be able to supply our customers with the adequate clean drinking water needed,” he said. “We have tried to keep the rates to the point where it is not going to have a negative impact on people and I think we have come up with a pretty good plan.”
A water committee was formed comprised of Aldermen Bill Jacquot, Jeff Pittman and Jack Daniels along with City Utility Superintendent John Simmons, City Water Operator Jim Dobson and Mayor McIntire.
On June 27, they held a meeting at City Hall and decided on the following.
The base rate will increase from $16.50 for the initial 1,000 gallons to $18.50.
“We felt this modest increase would not negatively impact our low volume customers too badly,” McIntire said. “Namely our senior citizens.”
After the initial 1,000 gallon base charge, they decided to follow the city code section 38-3-79, which is to bill $15.00 per 1,000 gallons for the next 2,000 gallons, then $12.50 per 1,000 gallons for the next 1,500 gallons. After the initial 4,500 gallons, the rate will be raised to $11.50 per 1,000 gallons for up to 50,000 gallons of usage per month.
High volume commercial businesses such as Prairieland FS and Logan Ag will be charged at the rate above for the first 50,000 gallons then the rate will be reduced to $10.00 per 1,000 gallons after the first 50,000 gallons to prevent a negative impact on them.
For the high volume non-profit customers such as the Scott County Nursing Home and Scott County School District #100, they decided to use the rates in the city code for the first 4,500 gallons then charge them a flat rate of $8.00 per 1,000 gallons after the initial 4,500 gallons.
Costs will be increase to the Scott County Rural Water Company from $4.75 per 1,000 gallons to $6.50 per 1,000 gallons.
“The information we received from Clark Cameron stated that our cost to produce 1,000 gallons was $5.39 per 1,000 gallons,” McIntire said. “So, obviously this rate increase was necessary. We also discovered that Scott County Rural Water was pricing water at $8.70 per 1,000 gallons.”
An automatic rate increase of three percent across the board will occur on May 1 each year thereafter.
“By implementing these rate changes, based on the current usage, we will increase our water account revenues by approximately $300,000 per year,” McIntire said. “This should be adequate to pay off our current water debt and accumulate much needed revenue in the water account or future maintenance costs.”
