After months of discussion, Eureka’s water and sewer rates for homeowners and commercial enterprises will go up Feb. 1.
The new rates, approved unanimously Jan. 7 by the Board of Aldermen, will nearly double the current water rate and nearly triple the sewer rate.
The average water bill for a Eureka resident is currently $24 a month, while the new rate will be $45. The new rate has a base fee of $15 and a $2.50 charge per every 1,000 gallons.
The average residential sewer bill now is $13 a month and the new rate will be about $35.
The current average commercial sewer bill is $14.50 and the new rate will be $35.
Eureka resident Kevin Kilpatrick told the board he opposed increasing the rates all at one time and suggested the uptick be phased in over several years.
“Make it a little less dramatic,” he said.
Kilpatrick is among those who have filed for a seat on the Board of Aldermen in the April 7 election (see related story above).
Eureka Mayor Sean Flower said he has not received many negative comments about the rate increases. He said he believes most residents understand why the increase is necessary.
“I think there will be people who are surprised when they get the rate increase we’re going to put in the mail,” he said. “But at the same time, I mean, it’s still 50 percent (less than) a lot of other places.”
Flower said the increases will allow the city to bring its water and sewer systems out of the red and into the black, provide funds for maintenance and allow the city to start building a capital improvements fund.
However, Flower said, if residents want to see improvements in the quality of the city’s water, another rate increase would possibly be needed.
Flower proposed the new residential rate structure at the Nov. 19 aldermanic meeting.
Over the summer, Flower did an analysis of the water and sewer systems and found the city was losing money. He showed that unless the rates were changed in fiscal year 2020, the city would lose $107,925 to provide sewer service and $481,138 to provide water.
The city is currently having its water system appraised by Missouri American Water, which could be the first step toward possibly selling the system.
Flower said the appraisal is due back any day.
However, he said changing the city’s rate structure has nothing to do with the appraisal from Missouri American Water.
The appraisal was approved Aug. 6 with a 4-2 vote; both Ward 2 representatives, Bryan Kiefer and Carleen Murray, voted against the appraisal.
Flower said getting the appraisal is just to see what the system is worth. “Regardless of what happens with Mo American, or other improvements, I personally believe that the water and sewer systems should pay for themselves,” he said.