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Springfield sewer bills go up on July 1

The city council approved a series of rate increases to help pay for investments in the wastewater system.

June 20, 2012|edited news release | news@ky3.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The city continues to make additional investments in its wastewater system to  meet regulatory requirements and to protect water quality.  

On May 31, 2011, the City Council passed a series of rate increases, with the last scheduled rate increase to be on July 1, 2016.  Residents will see the next scheduled rate increase on July 1, 2012.  The rate increase will be on their CU bill sometime after July, depending on their billing cycle.

Sewer charges are based on water consumption in January, February and March of each year.  An average residential household will use of 6.0 CCF (hundred cubic feet) or 4,400 gallons per month. Each residential household’s bill will have a customer charge of $15.91 and a volume charge for 6.0 CCF, or $9.18.   The average bill for a residential household will be $25.27.

A Citizens Wastewater Task Force looked into the rate structure necessary to meet regulatory mandates and fund the $50 million phase two of the City’s Amended Consent Judgment with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) (referred to as the Early Action Plan).  The Task Force recommended a rate structure that was ‘fair and equitable’ for all ratepayers.

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Burns and McDonnell, an outside consulting firm, performed a comprehensive financial analysis of the entire sewer system with the goal of identifying ‘fair and equitable’ rate increases that will fund the sewer system until 2017.

Burns and McDonnell’s consultant Steve Yonker said Springfield's rates would remain competitive in the region despite the increases and noted the proposed 2012 rate was lower than the average rate in national surveys.

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