Posted on: Friday, October 22, 2004

Sewer fees may rise as much as 20% in '05

Advertiser Staff

The city may have to raise sewer fees next year, but it's far too soon to know how much an average homeowner's bill could increase, Mayor Jeremy Harris said yesterday.

It's unlikely that any specific increase would be proposed before next March, and it could not take effect until July, he said. The amount would depend on several financial variables that have not yet been determined.

"It's way too early to get alarmed, because there's no way to know yet until all the numbers are in," Harris said.

Sewer fees have not increased since 1993. Officials warned in March that charges would have to go up next year, and that the average home's monthly bill would likely rise from $33 in 2005 to $58 in 2010.

Harris, who leaves office in early January, said any specific proposal to raise fees would come from the mayor who replaces him, and would require City Council approval during the annual budget process. But he said an increase is likely.

"We've done almost $1 billion worth of sewer work without a sewer fee increase," Harris said. "So you can't have it both ways. You can't do $1 billion worth of work without at some point having to charge some increase, even if it's just to keep up with inflation."

The administration has called for issuing $175 million in revenue bonds to pay for ongoing and future sewer repair work, including some upgrades required by a federal consent decree.

City environmental services deputy director Tim Houghton said Wednesday that sewer fees could increase more than 20 percent next year. The increased revenue would help pay off previous bonds and ensure favorable interest rates on the new ones, he said.

The council's budget committee delayed a vote on the new bond issue.