AUBURN – Plans to boost sewer rates by 9 percent get a public hearing tonight.

District officials are blaming higher costs at the Lewiston Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority Plant on the increase.

The Sewer District adopted its 2006 budget in December, and that calls for $318,000 in new spending. Much of that is for Auburn’s share at the plant.

The district last increased sewer rates in 2003. The new rate would increase sewer rates from $1.76 for 100 cubic feet of water to $1.92. For an average-sized family, using about 16,000 gallons every 90 days, that would increase sewer bills from $75.88 to $82.71.

Budgets for both the water and the sewer districts are posted on the Web at www.awsd.org.

– Scott Taylor