City increases wastewater rates

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September 13, 2012

City increases wastewater rates

Faith Harper Jacksonville Daily Progress The Jacksonville Daily Progress Thu Sep 13, 2012, 08:11 AM CDT

JACKSONVILLE — The average wastewater bill for Jacksonville residents is expected to go up by $1.25 per month, after the city council approved an increase on Tuesday evening.

City officials said the current wastewater rate is $14.06 for the first 2,000 gallons and $2.50 for each additional 1,000 gallons after. The rate is capped at $36.06 per month.

Following the council's decision, the base rate and cap will remain the same, but each additional gallon will see an increase of 25 cents, to $2.75.

The increase will only affect waste water services, and residents should not see an increase in their water rate.

The new rate will affect residential and business customers and will go into effect on Oct. 1, showing up on residents' November bills.

City Manager Mo Raissi said the city did a survey of what surrounding cities charged for the service, and Jacksonville came in at the lowest.

He said Athens charges $4.07 per 1,000 gallons, Kilgore charges $3.72, Longview charges $3.50, Rusk is at $3.25, Palestine is at $3.95, Lufkin charges $3.66 and Nacogdoches charges $4.27 per $1,000 gallons.

Freddy Thomas, finance director for the city, said the average of the cities surveyed, including Jacksonville is $3.52 per 1,000 gallons.

“Even at $2.75, we are still the lowest,” Thomas said. “It's just like our lab work for water and waste water is $75,000 per year. It takes a lot. We have a big electricity bill you sort of have to keep increasing your fees to some extent, otherwise you are having to burden the property owners with property taxes and you hate to do that.”

The 25 cent increase is estimated to bring in about $75,000 in extra revenue to the city per year. It's money, that Thomas said the city could use because of increased costs for fuel and maintenance.

“We don't lose money in the utility fund, as far as water and waste water,” Thomas said. “It's that every year with your expenses going up, you sort of have to nickle and dime on your revenue too. Jacksonville has been very conservative on their fees. When we looked at what other cities are charging, we were really low.”

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