GENTRY — City council members approved, on its second reading, an ordinance that will raise city water and sewer rates by 3 percent beginning in November.

The small rate increase is part of a plan to adjust rates modestly upward each year to cover the increased costs of water and to build up a reserve which can be used to replace and repair portions of the system as the need arises.

Minimum water rates inthe city - up to 1,000 gallons per month with a 5/8 to 3/4 inch meter - will go up to $11.26 per month. Outside the city, it will be $27.01.

Minimum sewer rates will be $6.42 per month within the city and $10.63 outside the city.

In the past, the city hadgone almost 10 years without a rate increase and then was forced to make a large increase to keep from operating at a loss to the city and to provide for system repairs and improvements. Rather than repeating that, the city, in cooperation with large water users, adopteda plan of small annual increases rather than waiting until necessity forced a large increase on customers without opportunity to plan and budget for it.

News, Pages 2 on 08/03/2011