Mt. Pleasant sewer rate hike goes into effect July 1

Beginning July 1, Mt. Pleasant residents will pay higher sewer and water flow rates.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the Mt. Pleasant City Council unanimously approved the final reading of an increase in the sewer and water flow rate.

The rate will rise 10 cents, from $5.90 to $6 per 1,000 gallons of water.

City Administrator Brent Schleisman said that the increase is necessary to help pay for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant mandated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“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,” 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.”

He explained that in order to issue bonds, the city has to have enough money in reserves to show that they can meet the bond debt obligations.

The council also passed the final reading of an increase in solid waste fees.

The increase reflects a membership fee hike by the Des Moines County Regional Waste Commission.

The fee includes curbside recycling collection and access to a haz-chem center that takes old televisions, paint, lights and other materials.

Mt. Pleasant residents will see that fee rise from $3.95 to $4.05 per month.

Schleisman said that although the city collects the fees, they are all ultimately paid to the commission.