HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Huntsville residents could see their sewer charge on their utility bill increase for the rest of the year.
This would be the first sewer rate increase in 20 years.
At Thursday’s meeting, the city’s Economic Development Department presented a 10-year capital plan focused on improving and repairing wastewater facilities, equal to $150 million. City officials said some facilities operate with parts from the 1950s. But with increasing repair and upkeep costs, they said the funding right now isn’t there.
If the rate increase passes, customers could expect to see a $5 increase this year, taking their charge from $24.15 a month to $29.15 a month. This rate would gradually increase as part of the capital plan, ending at $39.15 monthly in 2034.
Huntsville Director of Urban and Economic Development Shane Davis said that even with the rate increases, sewer costs in Huntsville are still below the national average.
“The national average is, your sewer bill will be somewhere between twice to two and a half times what your water bill will be,” Davis said. “Right now, the city of Huntsville, residential customers’ water, sewer bills actually cheaper than their water bill. We understand that certain times we all live in, so that’s why we’re trying to do this over a ten-year period as far as the capital plan.”
Former Huntsville City Councilmember Frances Akridge made comments at the meeting expressing that this would be passing too much of the cost onto customers.
“For crying out loud, how do we increase capacity if developers who come in and need our money for curb cuts then need our money for water, they need our money for et cetera, etc., etc., but they’re not paying towards extra capacity,” Akridge said.
It’s important to note that wastewater is managed by the city’s Water Pollution Control Department.
The rate increase was only introduced at the meeting. It will be voted on during the city council meeting on June 12.
The post City of Huntsville considers sewer rate increase appeared first on WHNT.
