CENTERVILLE—On June 17 the city council approved a 5 percent increase in the culinary water rate which was effective June 26.

For the average resident, the base rate has increased by $1.89 per month. The usage for the first 5,000 gallons has increased by $0.08 per 1,000 gallons. This increase is expected to generate additional revenue of $196,560.  

“We continue to see inflationary increases to our costs of labor, material, and construction,” the staff report said. “This increase is needed to maintain our high level of service to our customers.”

Initially the rate increase was scheduled for a vote on June 3, but city council members asked for an extra two weeks to allow residents to weigh in on the issue. 

At that first meeting Public Works Director Mike Carlson came before the city council to explain the justification for the rate increase. 

“What I do, I just kind of look at what costs are going up and what I’m seeing hit my field,” Carlson said. “I just personally don’t like the idea of one point in time coming in and saying I need a 35 percent increase. I would rather come and ask for a smaller increase each year to keep up with it.  I just want to keep at a level where it’s a number that they can handle.”

It’s important for the water department to be adequately funded so that the city can continue to provide the basic services residents expect, he said. “People rely on us. If there’s a water leak in the middle of the night they expect in the morning to have the water back on ASAP and not to be inconvenienced, and that’s kind of how we do it. We have to keep the funds coming in and be able to provide the services that we have.”

The water department has been frugal and has learned many skills on the job which has saved the city a lot of money and allowed some projects to be done in-house rather than needing to hire an outside contractor, Carlson said.

“I’m really proud of my team,” he added.

A secondary reason for the rate increase is to encourage water conservation, Carlson said.

At that meeting City Councilmember Gina Hirst expressed appreciation for Carlson and the water department.

“Besides the fact that the way Mike is doing this makes a lot of sense as far as keeping up with our capital facilities plan, we are also keeping pace with affordability as the state defines it for Centerville,” she said.

On June 17 Carlson came back before the council and shared with them an article from Op One where the writer told water providers they need to be better at promoting the service they offer users. The writer calculated that through his municipal water service he was paying just one cent for a gallon of water. That would equate to a cost of $3,599 if he were forced to purchase the water at a local store in gallon jugs, Carlson said.

“It’s a great service,” he said. “I mean you really think about it: the public works department, the water department, serves you every morning when you wake up or whatever and brush your teeth. For me it’s a cheap commodity; 5 percent doesn't seem like that much to me and [we’re] trying to keep up with it because I never want to stand before you again and ask for a 35 percent rate increase ever again.”

The city council then unanimously approved the new rate increase.