MONROE — The wastewater treatment plant is in urgent need of upgrades, the city of Monroe says.
Without it, the city of 17,000 people could face sewer backups and spills. The city also could face lawsuits for not meeting state standards.
Residents will be paying to fix the problems through increases in their utility bills.
The City Council this week approved a sewer rate increase to be put into effect Jan. 1.
The bills will go up 14 percent each year until 2015. That means by 2015, people will pay 69 percent more for sewer service, city officials said.
The council voted to approve the increase 6-0. Councilwoman Patsy Cudaback was absent.
“We have to do it to keep the infrastructure going,” Councilman Tom Williams said at the meeting.
The increase means a jump to $63.79 from $55.96 for the average monthly bill.
The average family in Monroe now pays $671.52 a year for sewer bills. In 2012, that will increase by $93.96. By 2015, the annual bill should total $1,134 for most people, the city calculates.
The increases are needed to pay for the $15.6 million in bonds the city plans to issue this summer to pay for upgrades at the treatment plant and other city infrastructure, said Dianne Nelson, Monroe’s finance director. The sewer treatment plant is set to get $9.5 million in improvements. The rest of the money will pay for pipelines and maintenance work.
The city has scheduled its first bond payment Dec. 1, 2012. The debt is expected to be paid off in 2031.
The council had no choice, Nelson said.
“Their backs were against the wall,” she said. “It was either let the infrastructure fail or increase rates.”
The wastewater treatment plant requires upgrades to meet the highest demands on the system and treatment requirements, plant manager John Lande said.
Work on the treatment plant is set to begin this summer. It should be completed by December 2012.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
