Mt. Pleasant increasing sewer, water rates to pay for upgrades

The Mt. Pleasant sewer and water flow rates are set to increase 10 cents. The rates will raise from $5.90 to $6.00 per 1,000 gallons of water.

“We have a fee structure to help us pay for the $10 million worth of infrastructure upgrades we’re having to do to meet the DNR guidelines for operating wastewater treatment plants,” City Administrator Brent Schleisman said. “This ordinance is an adjustment to those rates since we’re borrowing $4 million more sometime this spring/early summer to finish the last two phases of the five phase upgrade.”

The city is required to increase the rates due to its bonding.

“We borrow money, we have to have so much money in reserves that shows we can meet our obligations and pay back those loans,” Schleisman said.

The Mt. Pleasant residents also will see an increase in their solid waste fee. This is due to Des Moines County Regional Waste Commission raising its fee for membership offered services.

“Part of that membership is that they do twice every other week curbside recycling collection for residents, which has a fee we’re charged through the commission,” Schleisman said. “On top of that, there’s a haz-chem center that takes care of TVs, old paint and lights, which is provided to residents through our membership.

“They charge us for those two services of $3.95 per month on residents’ solid waste fee, and now it’s going to $4.05 per month,” he said. “It comes to us, but we write a check to the commission.”

Both ordinances passed their second readings and will go onto a third and final reading.