HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Huntsville City Council delayed the vote on a proposed sewer rate increase until its next meeting on June 26.
Councilmembers said the delay allows the community to be fully aware of the issue and ensure all their needs and questions are addressed.
“We haven’t had a sewer rate increase since 2005,” District 2 City Councilman David Little said. “We’ve got a lot of old infrastructure. We’ve got a lot of old infrastructure that still works really well, but we got to keep up. You know, they gotta keep up with compliance. And, so, the delay was really just to give the community a little bit more time to digest it.”
The rate increase entails residents seeing a $5 increase on their October bill this year, going from the current monthly rate of $24.15 to $29.15. The rate would continue going up by $1 annually until reaching a total charge of $39.15 a month in 2034.
A sewer rate increase has not happened in the city since 2005, and officials say the budget the rates generate now does not cover the infrastructure, facility and system improvements sewage in the city needs. They estimate those repairs would cost around $150 million.
District 2 City Councilman David Little said sewage in the city is a top priority, and keeping those facilities and systems up to date is vital.
“We all want a sewer system that works, right?” Little said. “I think we take it for granted. Like, flush the toilet and we leave, we walk away. There’s a lot happening between your house and the treatment facility to get the waste down there, to get the water clean enough to get returned, you know? So it’s a real important structure.”
A full breakdown of the proposed rate increase is available on our website.
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