Water rates could rise again
McMinnville residents could see their water bills increase again after city officials said they plan to move forward with more than $2 million in upgrades to the city’s water system.
Members of the Water and Wastewater Committee voted last week to proceed with plans to build a new water tank and water transmission line near Highways 127 and 108 in order to improve water services in the southern section of town.
City Administrator Herb Llewellyn told city leaders that state loan officials will likely require an increase of as much as 4.5 percent. Based on a $30 water bill, that would be an increase of $1.35, for example.
City leaders have been considering the water tank upgrades for a couple of years and have already raised rates once for improvements. Rates were increased 10 percent in 2002, with water officials saying at that time the increases were being made to build a new water tank and transmission line and a lime stabilization system, which can create first-class sludge from human waste. They have also said repairs are desperately needed for the 750,000-gallon downtown water tank.
After increasing rates in 2002, city officials reported a few months later the city was not able to receive a desired low-interest state loan for the projects without raising rates again.
Billing rates were also increased by $1 in 2003.
Officials indicated last week their intent now is to build a new 3-million-gallon storage tank and water transmission line. Water and Wastewater Committee members approved that idea. The lime stabilization project does not appear to be a consideration at this time.
In addition to improving water storage and water pressure for the southern portion of town, officials said the reason the tank is being built is also related to problems with the downtown water tank.
The downtown tank needs to be repaired but putting that tank out of commission for repairs will severely limit the amount of water available to consumers and for emergency situations, Mayor Royce Davenport said in agreeing with the city’s water engineer.
As to when the proposed increase might be implemented, Llewellyn said the increase could be put in place by March.
Several small rate increases have been approved over the past several years, in part due to recommendations made about six years ago after rates were studied by the Municipal Technical Advisory Service and found to be inadequate.