Auburn city councilors will vote on a resolution this week that would impose a water rate increase of about $35/year for the average customer, the city’s first rate increase since 2016.
The resolution will be voted on at the council’s Thursday, April 7 meeting. The resolution was recommended by city staffers following a March presentation that warned the city’s water fund could be depleted in one to two years if rates are not increased.
The current retail water rate for residential customers is $2.62 per hundred cubic feet. The proposed increased rate would be $2.99 effective May 1, 2022, then increased to $3.35 on May 1, 2023, according to The Citizen.
City staff provided comparisons for Auburn’s proposed water rate at the council’s March 10 meeting. The national average for monthly municipal water service is $38.67 per month, while Auburn’s would be only $21.90 per month.
The city is not planning to increase sewer rates, which are on the same bill as water service for city residents.
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