Water customers know this. Those water bills they get every month, can be confusing
“I have grappled with it, sometimes you get charged more, I was charged for four thousand gallons, I have to get that straight,” said water customer Katie Hicks.
“No, I just asked her a minute ago what was my highest month this year and it was July, which is normal. But she said I used more water this month than last month and I don’t know why that it,’’ said customer Julie Brown.
Utilities Director Tom Wiedmeier knows water billing can be frustrating for customers, but is promising changes.
“Yeah our rate structure is odd and it’s difficult to understand and let people understand their bill a lot better,’’ Wiedmeier said.
Wiedmeier says one big change will be with sewer charges, he says where going from 3000 gallons to 4000 gallons the costs will go up about four dollars…right now bills climb by more than twenty dollars.
‘’Which is a huge jump, it catches people by surprise every years new sewer bill,’’ said Wiedmeier.
Another change would eliminate the 3000 gallon base water rate. Customers using less water would pay less.
‘’So if you use 1000 gallons a month you pay for 1000 gallons,’’ Wiedmeier said.
‘’That’s better I would think,’’ said Hicks.
‘’That makes sense, I mean you don’t go to the store and spend money on six pounds of ground beef when you’re only buying four, so that makes all the sense in the world.’’ added Brown.
Customers who use right at 3000 gallons a month would see a slight increase in their bills.
Commissioners debate these rates Tuesday. If approved the go into effect in January.
