06-25-10 Council considers rate increase to meet sewer mandates

Home Browse Search

Office of the Mayor NEWS RELEASE June 25, 2010 Council considers rate increase to meet sewer mandates Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 or Gary Gilot, Director of Public Works, 235-9251 The South Bend Common Council will conduct a public hearing Monday on a proposed sewer-rate increase to fund the next phase of federally mandated improvements to reduce basement backups and combined sewer overflows into the St. Joseph River. To comply with the Clean Water Act, the City of South Bend must implement a 20-year, $400-million plan for the long-term control of combined sewer overflows (CSOs). Since 2006, the City has invested $43 million to reduce CSOs and the problems associated with them. Work has included expansion of the 54-year-old Wastewater Treatment Plant and extensive efforts to separate combined sewers and build capacity for additional storage. Between 2010 and 2013, the City must spend another $54 million to make continued progress on the long-term control plan. Projects will include additional separation of storm and sanitary sewers, expanded capacity to retain storm water and a greater emphasis on green solutions, which address storm drainage through natural alternatives on-site. Where sewer rates increased in stages by a cumulative 79 percent between 2006 and 2009, proposed rate increases over the next four years will be about half as much. The Council is considering increases of 8 percent in 2010 (beginning July 1) and 9 percent annually in 2011-13. For the average homeowner, it will mean an increase of about a dime a day. Other rates on the monthly South Bend utilities bill are expected to hold steady or decrease over the same period. (That would result in less than a 3 percent increase in residents’ total municipal utility bill.) Even after four years of the proposed increases, South Bend sewer rates will still be lower than current rates in Mishawaka and other Indiana cities.