H2O rates to increase slightly

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

— Water and sewer rates will be rising for Decatur residents.

City council members voted on Feb. 11 to pass along the increase in water prices from Benton-Washington Regional Public Water Authority, as well as increasing wastewater treatment costs.

No one attended the public hearing on the matter.

Water rates in Decatur will go up $0.15 per thousand gallons, and sewer rates will go up $0.30 per thousand gallons.

The average household consumes about 5,000 gallons a month, and the rate increase will add about $2 to the average bill, city utilities director James Boston said.

Both sewer and water rate increases will have more effect on industrial customers, who use millions of gallons a month,than on average residential customers. Both rates go down as usage goes up, so rate increases won't hit industries quite as hard, Boston said.

Simmons Foods accounts for about 90 percent of Decatur’s water and sewer usage.

Decatur’s water and sewer rates are still comparatively low, and the city is working to come up with ways to decrease wastewater costs, Boston said.

News, Pages 1 on 02/20/2013