JAY — The sewer rates that will go into effect on July 1 will contain a 1 cent increase for any amount of water used over the minimum 3,200 cubic feet.

Selectpersons kept the minimum sewer user fee of $250 for up to 3,200 cubic feet of water used, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said Wednesday. Any amount that exceeds 3,200 feet will cost 8 cents per cubic foot instead of the current rate of 7 cents per cubic foot.

The average bill for those that exceed the minimum use was estimated at $410, according to Sewer Department Superintendent Mark Holt’s information.

The town changed its method of calculating the sewer rate based on water use on July 1, 2011. Previously, it was based on a per-unit method.

The goal is to have sewer users eventually cover 100 percent of the department’s operation and maintenance budget. Townwide taxation covers the cost of debt service.

The operation and maintenance budget for 2015-16 is $551,950 and debt service is $289,424 for a total Sewer Department budget of $841,374.

The new rate is expected to generate about $413,510 in revenue and cover about 75 percent of the operation and maintenance budget.

In order to cover 100 percent of the operation and maintenance budget while keeping the minimum fee the same, the cost of water exceeding 3,200 cubic feet would need to be 13.2 cents per cubic foot. That would have increased the revenue brought in to about $551,950, Holt’s data showed.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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