Washington council votes to raise water, sewer rates

Water and sewer rates in the city of Washington may be going up July 1.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Washington City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a water and sewer rate hike. The ordinance must pass three separate readings before taking effect.

“I realize nobody wants to see rates go up,” council member Danielle Pettit-Majewski said. “Infrastructure isn’t sexy, but it’s necessary.”

She said that small, gradual rate increases are necessary to keep up with maintenance and upgrades to the water and sewer system.

“It keeps our levy from going up,” Mayor Jaron Rosien added.

The water rate will go up 7.5 percent from $4.42 per 100 cubic feet of water used to $4.75.

The base rate of $17.85 will stay the same.

The increase in the usage fee is expected to generate more than $173,000 in additional revenue for the city, according to the budget worksheet on the city’s website.

The sewer rate is rising 5 percent from $4.25 per 100 cubic feet of water used to $4.46.

The residential base rate of $31.50 will stay the same, as will the base rates for non-residential customers.

The sewer usage fee increase is expected to generate an additional $78,621 in revenue.

Water and sewer rates have risen incrementally over the past several years.

The water usage rate was $3.48 in 2015, $3.65 in 2016, $3.84 in 2017, $3.97 in 2018 and $4.11 in 2019.

The sewer usage rate was $3.47 in 2015, $3.65 in 2016, $3.83 in 2017, $3.96 in 2018 and $4.10 in 2019.